


Don't Look Up

by SiriSunrider



Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Imperial Entanglements, Imperial!Jyn, Undercover
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-20
Updated: 2018-02-18
Packaged: 2018-09-09 23:27:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 38,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8917306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SiriSunrider/pseuds/SiriSunrider
Summary: After the untimely death of his wife, Galen Erso raises his daughter as a loyal Imperial. Years later, the Rebel Alliance hears rumors of Erso’s involvement on the development of a super weapon. The Alliance enlists the help of Cassian Andor to bring them information on the weapon by any means necessary. His best bet? Galen’s daughter, an Imperial guard stationed on Coruscant.            Cassian sets out only to gain Jyn Erso’s trust, but things get messy when he starts to develop feelings for her. Torn between his loyalty to the Rebellion and his growing feelings for Jyn, Cassian must decide whether to continue to fight or keep his head down and lead a normal life.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Like so many others, Rogue One made my life better while simultaneously crushing my soul. I'm hoping fanfiction will piece it back together.

 

            1 BBY

            Imperial City, Coruscant

 

            K-2SO wasn’t known for his prattling, but Cassian Andor was beginning to wonder if he was trying to start. The reprogrammed Imperial droid had become impatient with their current mission, and was currently complaining about it. If the small living quarters they were residing in would have allowed it, Cassian suspected the droid might have started pacing.

            “We have been here too long, Cassian.”

            Cassian ignored him. He moved about the small place quickly and efficiently, retrieving his uniform and putting it on over his street clothes.

            K-2SO continued on. “Do you want to know the probability of us being able to stay undiscovered?”

            He didn’t, but Kay went and told him anyway. It was pointless, of course. Cassian was well aware of the risks; he was always aware of the risks. He had a job, however, and he had never failed a mission before. He would see it out, no matter the odds.

            “I still say capturing her and threatening torture would do the trick.”

            Cassian turned to Kay, giving him a look that was half serious and half amused. “That sounds like an Imperial tactic. Perhaps you need a bit more reprogramming?"

            “Well I didn’t say to really torture her. Just threaten.”

            “And what would we do after we get the information? Let her go? She’d go straight to the Empire and tell them,” Cassian reasoned.

            “Or we could not let her go,” Kay threw back.

            “The daughter of an important Imperial scientist goes missing? That would set off all of their alarms. No, it is better to do it this way,” Cassian said for what felt like the hundredth time in four weeks.

            It _was_ better this way, and he was glad that his superiors thought so as well. He hadn’t gone undercover like this in a long time, and never for longer than a few weeks. It was imperative to get it right; he would have no second chances.

            “Surely the Alliance could get the information another way.” Kay wouldn’t let it go. It was likely because Cassian had kept him holed up in the small living quarters which consisted of little more than a bed, a refresher, and a hot plate. Not exactly comfortable for a droid that was over two meters tall.

            “I am sure they are trying,” Cassian said as he finished putting on his utility belt, uniform now fully equipped. “Until then, I will continue on as planned.”

            “What should I say if they call? That it has been four weeks and you’re still scrubbing carbon scoring off droids in a closet instead of getting information from the target?”

            Cassian tried not to scowl. “She is not a target.”

            “Not yet.”

            He didn’t reply to that; he didn’t want to think about it. Just once he would like to do something without bloodshed, even if the person in question was an Imperial. If the Alliance changed his orders, then so be it. Until then, he had a job to do.

            “I’ll see you tonight, Kay.” He didn’t look back as he walked out the door.   


	2. First Contact

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassian and Jyn meet for the first time.

           Four weeks ago, Cassian had felt awkward and uncomfortable taking the public transport in an Imperial uniform. It seemed no matter how much he tried to relax and act casual, the stiff material caused him to sit upright. It turned out that it suited his role better, however, once he had realized that everyone else donning Imperial Insignia was in the same situation.

           There was certainly a tension on Coruscant that was familiar. It spoke of a people who were aware that every action was watched. Even the slightest misstep could result in a “pat down” by a Stormtrooper. Cassian had never seen the Imperials themselves look so tense, though. Within the gaze of the Emperor, he supposed there was a higher pressure. Cassian himself felt that pressure, but for very different reasons.

            Coruscant was crowded, but it was always crowded on the planet-wide metropolis. On any other planet a throng this large would be comforting to the rebel spy; it meant he could get lost in it. Now, though, in the heart of the Empire itself? It only made him think he didn’t have enough eyes to watch his back. If the mission went south, there would be no rescue for him.

            The chances of the mission going south, Kay had said, were high.

            Kay was right and Cassian knew it. As an analytical droid, Kay was often right. The Alliance would only wait so long before desperation drove them to take drastic measures. Measures that would likely end with someone dead. Cassian had seen it before; he had been the one pulling the trigger.

            He would make contact tonight and then the real challenge would begin.

 

            ***

 

            Jyn Erso was bored. It happened often at work, standing in the exact same spot all day, every day. No one to talk to, nothing to listen to. Reading was prohibited. Jyn knew she was under constant surveillance, so she never dared try doing anything but stare at the wall and count the number of panels on the ceiling.

            Or, occasionally, she would make things interesting and count the number of lights lining the hall. She could only stand to do that one once an hour because eventually her eyes would start to hurt.    

            There were one hundred and four separate lights. Three hundred and nine panels on the ceiling. Sometimes she would miscount and have to start all over again, just to make sure it didn’t change. It hadn’t so far.

            Sometimes instead of counting, Jyn would reflect bitterly on her assignment and list all the reasons why she deserved to be somewhere more interesting. Sometimes she would work herself into quite the rage, even going so far as to blame her father for her current situation. Then, as she always did, she would picture her father’s face and the fear in his eyes when she had informed him that she was going to the Imperial Academy.

            It was always at that point that Jyn would remember that there were worse things than being bored; fighting in a war against a few terrorists was one. Being trapped in a decade long assignment on a Star Destroyer was another.

            Counting tiles six standard days a week wasn’t so bad.

            Officially, she was an Imperial Guard Officer to Level B2, Tower 4 of the Imperial City Data Center. Unofficially, she stood in front of a door that in one and a half years only a dozen people had entered. Still, the climate was controlled and she didn’t have to share a barracks with a hundred other people. There were benefits to be stuck on your homeworld.

            Jyn started counting the lights again.

            There were less than two hours left in her shift now, and then she would be home. Most Imperials were offered housing through their contracts with the Empire, but Jyn had foregone that in order to stay in her father’s apartment on Coruscant. He was often away, now, researching for the Empire. The last time he had been on Coruscant was well over a year ago, but Jyn kept his things exactly as they were when he left. Her childhood bedroom was still her own, with a few minor upgrades. She longed for the cool sheets and the soft pillow of her bed.

            One hundred and two.

            Jyn furrowed her brow. Off by two. She must’ve miscounted while daydreaming. She started again, going a little slower this time.

Tomorrow was her day off. A day of rest and hopefully a chat with her father, if he wasn’t too busy.

            One hundred and two.

            Well, that was odd. Jyn did a quick survey of the lights; by now she had memorized the location of every last one of them. Sure enough, two lights at ankle level in the hall were out. That wouldn’t do.

            Jyn commed the control center. She didn’t remember the frequency for the maintenance level, but control would relay her message.

            “Control, this is level B2, Tower Four, requesting maintenance,” Jyn spoke into the command console. The first words she had said in hours. Only a moment passed before she received a reply.

            “B2, this is control. What seems to be the problem?”

            “Just a few lights out,” she said. It was almost a non-issue, but this was the most exciting thing to happen to Jyn all week.

            The crackled response came a minute later. “Maintenance has been informed. A droid will be down shortly.”

            Shortly turned out to be half an hour, and the droid was surprisingly human shaped.

 

            ***

 

            “Maintenance required on level B2, Tower Four.” The message came abruptly and Cassian scrambled to the link. The small room was cluttered with equipment and droid parts. He had to stretch over a broken astromech droid to reach the communication link controls.

            He took one breath before answering. “Message received. Maintenance will be down shortly.”

            The comm went silent and Cassian returned to sitting on his bench. To the right a small door opened at ankle level and a mouse droid sipped into the room. He smiled at it.

            “You did your job well,” Cassian told it. The droid chirped back at him in affirmation before retreating through a similar passage on the opposite wall.

            Four weeks of sitting in the small workroom sifting through broken droid parts and old logs, keeping track of every droid in the facility and what their purposes were. In his spare moments, he had taken it upon himself to “repair” a few of the droids whose programming was “a little off”.  It had taken him longer than expected; the safeguards must have increased in the years since Cassian had managed to repurpose K-2SO.

            The mouse droid’s originally purpose was simple repair in tough to reach places. They had little autonomy at all and only really followed direct orders. Cassian had tampered just a little with the droid; it would mostly function normally, but now Cassian could arrange it to cause a little necessary chaos. For example, causing a need for maintenance on level B2.

            Holed up in the maintenance room for weeks, Cassian had been unable to speak to Jyn in a way that would seem natural. So, he manufactured one. It wasn’t his best work, but if he didn’t have _something_ to tell the Alliance soon they might pull him out entirely. Four weeks was a long time.

            Cassian had spent every free moment to prepare for this. His first impression on Jyn Erso would determine the effectiveness of the mission to come. He read her file and felt he knew her. She wasn’t one for friends; neither was Cassian. It would be difficult, but Cassian knew he could do it. With time, Jyn would become his informant without even knowing it.

            He took a minute or two to breathe. One final moment to gather himself.

            He had grease on his hands. He wiped them on a cloth and stood.

            There was no maintenance elevator; it was just assumed that droids would be the ones performing maintenance, and no one really paid much attention to them. Cassian, however, was given looks by many officers passing by. Most likely Stormtroopers as well, but due to their helmets Cassian couldn’t be sure. He wore a dirty jumper and his hair was much longer than was regulated. It was probably a sight to behold against the crisp uniforms and shining floors of the Imperial City Data Center.

            It was a large building and Cassian hadn’t been able to explore it much. He had seen schematics of the entire building as part of his maintenance training, but the scale was much larger than he had anticipated. By the time he reached the correct elevator, nearly a half hour had passed.

            When the final door slid open, Cassian could almost hear his own heartbeat. There at the end of the hall, was Jyn Erso. She had heard him coming, that much was obvious, and she watched him the whole time he approached her down the hall. As he got closer, he could see the expression on her face; she was suspicious of him.

            He almost smiled at her, but thought better of it. He had never seen an Imperial smile while on duty. Instead, he walked straight to her and got to the point.

            “You requested maintenance?”

            She blinked once. “They said they were sending a droid.”

            Had they? Well, Cassian had never said that. “That is standard protocol, but I’ve been having a bit of trouble with the mouse droids. They need a memory wipe and I thought I could stretch my legs.”

            Jyn Erso raised an eyebrow, but besides that the hard expression on her face didn’t change.

            “I’ve never seen a man come in to do a droid’s job before.”

            He forced an easy expression. “Who do you think fixes the droids?”

            “Other droids,” Jyn answered unfeelingly.

            Ah, well. That was probably true in most cases for the Empire. In the Alliance they hadn’t the resources for things like that; Cassian had learned to be self-reliant. He wasn’t about to tell her that.

            “Well, just this once you will see a man do the work of a maintenance droid. I promise.” The corner of his mouth lifted just a little.

            Her eyes searched him for a moment. He stood steady under her gaze, realizing she was sizing him up. Finally, she said, “I’ll need to see identification.”

            “Really?” Cassian replied, the palms of his hands beginning to sweat despite his cool exterior. “You think I could get all the way down here without clearance?”

            “No,” Jyn replied, hold out her gloved hand. “I just want to make sure you’re qualified to do the job.”

            “Qualified to change a light bulb?” In a different situation, Cassian might have laughed.

            Jyn narrowed her eyes. “I never said it was a light that needed fixing.”

 _Kriff_. That was true. “I saw it on the way in.”

            Jyn was still holding her hand out. “I still want to see identification.”

            Cassian stared for a brief moment, taking in her rigid posture and the colors on her uniform. Then he shrugged, reached into his pocket and handed her his ID. His _fake_ identification. It was professionally done; the Alliance wouldn’t have risked anything else. It had taken him this far, but every time he pulled it out a part of him worried that this would be the time they realized he wasn’t who he said he was.

            “Jax Paven?” Jyn said, slowly, then looked at him as if deciding whether he looked like a Jax. “That’s a rather common name.”

            Cassian shrugged again. “I suppose my parents preferred something classic.”

            “Hmm,” Jyn said, looking over the card as if it held some hidden message.

            “You won’t find my comm frequency on the card, in case you were wondering.” Cassian said the words and immediately regretted them. Jyn’s eyes shot to his in surprise, then narrowed again.

“Don’t flatter yourself,” Jyn replied as she handed him back his ID docs. She turned away from him then, but before she did Cassian could’ve sworn that he saw a glint of amusement. It was hard to tell with someone you had just met, but Cassian felt a relief with it. She would not have turned her back to him if she found him threatening.

            The light in the wall was an easy fix, which was why he had made the mouse droid do it. It did require a specific panel being removed, however. The panel just so happened to reveal a network line the linked directly into Tower Four’s data storage. The staged meet-up with Jyn had only been half of his reason for coming down to B2.

            With the help of Kay, Cassian had designed a small bug to plug into the line. In order to go undetected, it had no transceiver. He would not be able to access the bug unless he physically retrieved it from the line itself. It was a risky move altogether, but Cassian needed information of the rumored super weapon. Tower Four specifically contained information on Imperial personnel and Cassian had programmed the bug to download anything concerning Galen Erso. The bug was only a prototype. Cassian just hoped it worked.

            It took only five minutes total to plant the bug and restore the lights, but Cassian felt compelled to return to Jyn if only to make sure he made an impression. It wouldn’t suit him if she immediately forgot all about him.

            “Everything is fixed,” he said as he approached even though that much was obvious. “If you need anything else-”

            “I’ll send for a droid.” For the briefest moment, a smile appeared on her face the didn’t reach her eyes.

            Cassian nodded, ten extended his right hand toward her. “Of course. It was a pleasure to meet you…?”

            A moment passed as they stared at each other; him with an expectant look and her with a guarded one. Jyn cleared her throat and tentatively took his hand for a brief moment before letting go. “Jyn Erso,” she offered.

            He gave his own smile; little more than an uptick at the corners of his mouth. “Right. Good to meet you, Jyn.”

            Cassian took notice that she did not return the gesture.

 

            ***

 

            **Later that evening…**

****

Cassian did not immediately return to the small apartment he shared with Kay after work. Instead, he took a shuttle bus to the red light district. It wasn’t an uncommon place for off-duty imperials to go, despite the dubious legalities that occurred. Cassian hoped to blend in with the regular crowd.

            He kept his uniform in a bag, though. No need to scare off the locals.

            There were several popular clubs along the main streets, but Cassian opted for something quieter. A small establishment with a broken sign on the front. Inside the light was dim and the air was filled with smoke of all types. Dancers moved about freely, offering private sessions to the few patrons who were drunk enough to pay the price.

            Cassian headed straight for the bar. “A shot of your strongest,” he told the bartender, “and a private dance with Tavian.”

            The teevan man barely blinked at the request. “Twenty-two credits. You want any change for the tip?”

            Cassian simply shook his head as he surveyed the room. The teevan rolled his eyes and sighed loudly, letting Cassian know just what he thought of his stinginess. He returned a moment later with a shot glass filled with a blue liquid.

            “Go to room two. I’ll send her over.”

            Cassian took the drink with him and quietly entered the room the bartender had indicated. A cushioned bench was pushed against the wall and he sat down, glad that the air was a little cleaner in the small room even if the horrible lighting persisted.

            He didn’t have to wait long. The door opened quietly and a togruta woman sashayed into the room wearing very little.

            She smiled seductively and opened her mouth to speak, but Cassian quickly cut in.

            “I’m here to send a message.”

            The togrtuta frowned. “I suppose this means no tip?”

            He ignored the comment. “I need it to be sent out tonight, if possible.”

            She sighed and sat down next to him. Without a word, she plucked the untouched shot out of his hands and downed it quickly. He made no protest. “It’s always urgent with you rebel types, isn’t it? Well, what is the message?”

            “Just tell them there will be more information to come, but I have made first contact. You cannot mention my name.”

            “I don’t even know your name, sweetheart,” Tavian pointed out.

            “Can you do that? Can you send the message?” Cassian pressed, ignoring her remarks.He had no time for games. If he thought he could manage to send the message himself without blowing his cover, he would have done it. Caution was paramount. 

            Tavian turned to him fully, seriously this time. “I can do it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't posted any fanfiction in years, so I had forgotten how nerve-wracking it is. I hope I haven't disappointed too many people with this.


	3. An Irregular Imperial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everybody talks.

            Jyn came home to a dark apartment, but that wasn’t unusual. She had found the auto-light feature to be bothersome, so she had deactivated it. It was the only setting she had changed in the entire apartment since her father had been called away to help with an important project. Jyn would restore the setting when her father came back.

            It wasn’t anything lavish like the apartments that could be found in 500 Republica, but it was a decent living space. A small living area that overlooked the cityscape, a modern kitchen, and two bedrooms with separate refreshers. Jyn let the glow of the city light her path to the holo station in the living area.

            No messages.

            Jyn slumped back onto the couch, heaved a sigh and loosened the collar on her uniform. It had been a few weeks since they had last spoken and while Jyn knew that the Empire would have informed her if something had happened to her father, a part of her still worried for him. She missed him.

            Resigned to another night alone, Jyn changed out of her uniform and raided the kitchen for whatever leftovers she had and a bottle of Alderaanian wine. She settled into the couch and turned on a rerun of a holovid she had seen a few times before. Jyn had no holovids to call her own and he fathers were all documentaries that Jyn found a bit dull. She had seen them all at least twice.

            Tonight, Jyn reflected, had been the most interesting night at her job since her first day. She wasn’t sure whether to be happy that something out of the ordinary had finally happened or upset that it hadn’t before. It wasn’t just that Jyn had seen something in the Empire fail, even if it was just a light, but the man that had come to fix it had been irregular indeed.

            The fact that a man came to fix it at all was odd. Jax Paven was not like any Imperial she had met before; for one, he had broken protocol by not sending a droid. His general appearance was rather unkempt and his uniform was filthy. True, Jyn wasn’t really familiar with the regulations for a mechanic; it wasn’t a post that required academy training. Still, something about him had seemed off.

            He had flirted with her, or at least tried to. It wasn’t the first time a man in uniform had flirted with her, but never before had she been on duty when it happened. Admittedly, Jyn’s post was a solitary one so that might have had something to do with the lack of experience there. Not that outside of work Jyn had a line of suitors waiting for her; she could count the number of men that had flirted with her in the past six months on one hand. Before tonight, she would have been able to count them on one finger.

            Probably her middle one. He was a persistent fellow.

            The sudden chirping of the holocom signaling an incoming call nearly caused Jyn to spill her wine. She hurried to turn off the volume on her holovid and answered with the glass still in hand. For a moment her heart soared with the thought of talking to her father, but it dropped a second later when the image of Junior Commander Adan Dronos appeared.

            Jyn really did spill her wine then. Speaking of that persistent fellow…

            “Commander!” Jyn sputtered for a moment before standing upright and saluting.

            “No need for that, Jyn,” Adan Dronos admonished. “We’re not on duty at the moment.”

            “We’re always representing the Empire,” Jyn clipped, very aware of the fact that she was in her sleep-wear and Adan was in full uniform. “What can I do for you, Commander?”

            Sometimes it was hard to tell with holograms; the image wasn’t perfect and often blinked in and out, but Jyn could clearly see Adan smirk. “Please, Jyn, call me Adan when we’re off duty. We’ve known each other for so long.”

            Jyn forced a smile. “Of course, Adan. What do I owe the pleasure of your call?”

            Adan laughed. He had a sort of barking laughing that projected across a room; Jyn had found it grating since their formative years when they had been in school together. “You flatter me, Jyn! But you don’t owe me anything. I was simply hoping we could arrange to have lunch together tomorrow.”

            Jyn wasn’t sure how many times she could tell Adan she simply wasn’t interested in him the same way he was in her. Six months of one sided flirtation and he still thought she might be interested in a private lunch?

            “I’m not sure, Adan, tomorrow is my day off and I’m not up for travelling.” That was true, at least. Three twelve-hour shifts in a row had been exhausting.

            “Oh nonsense, you never do anything on your day off.” That was also true. Adan continued, “I insist. I’ll send a speeder for you and we can meet at _Tal Marnath’s_.”

            Jyn raised her eyebrows. _Tal Marnath’s_ was a popular spot for politicians and lobbyists. It was said to have an excellent menu, but it was a little pricier than Jyn would usually go for.

            As if sensing her hesitation he said, “I’ll pay, of course.”

            After a meal of two-day old diner take-out, the offer was tempting. Still, accepting would imply that she welcomed his advances, which she didn’t. “I’m not sure it would be appropriate, Adan. You are my superior.”

            “Really, Jyn, I only want to catch up. No funny business.” For what it was worth, Adan did look sincere.

            She would regret it, she knew, but it had been a long time since she had gone out. Hesitantly, she said, “All right.”

            Adan smiled widely. “Excellent! I’ll send a speeder about midday.”

            The holo cut out and Jyn looked down at her shirt. A bright red stain had soaked into the fabric. She sighed and went to the refresher.

 

            ***

            Sometime before midnight, Cassian returned to the small apartment he shared with K-2SO. The lights were out, likely turned off by Kay to preserve the energy. The shades were turned down, but Cassian could see that Kay hadn’t gone into sleep mode. His white eyes were the only light.

            “You’re back very late.” Kay’s tone was surprisingly accusatory.

            Cassian paused as an image of Kay pacing the length of the apartment enetered into his mind. Half guilty, half amused, a smile began to tug at his lips. “You were worried?”

            “Of course not,” Kay said a little grumpily, “I could track you via your commlink. You sent a message, then?”

            Cassian didn’t answer immediately, preoccupied with finding the switch for the light. In his exhaustion he had forgotten about the tracking device. Evidently Kay had been worried enough to use it. Eventually, Kay found the switch for him.

            “Thank you,” Cassian said, then surveyed the room for something to eat. He hadn’t been inclined to pay for whatever they were calling food down at the club. He had spent more money on the message than he allotted for in their budget.

            “The message?” Kay prompted.

            A pot of something sat on the hot plate. Kay had been preparing dinner for Cassian when he worked late. The droid had complained that it was a gross misuse of his capabilities, but continued to do it even when Cassian had told him that he needn’t bother. It had probably been edible at some point, but now it had developed some sort of film over the top. Cassian grimaced. That’s what he got for not telling Kay about his detour.

            “I made contact tonight,” Cassian told Kay as broke the film over the porridge.

            “I’m assuming it didn’t go well since you are so eager to avoid the subject.”

            Once the film as broken, the substance underneath didn’t seem so bad. Cassian had eaten worse before. He scooped some up into a bowl and sat down.

            “It went fine, Kay.”

            “And the bug?”

            Cassian took a spoonful and swallowed. He relayed the whole night back to Kay in between spoonful’s of the questionable gray substance. Kay mostly listened to Cassian in silence, likely already planning the best new course of action. By the time Cassian was finished telling of the events of the night, his bowl was empty and his body ached for lack of sleep.

            “If the device is successful then we might not even need Jyn Erso,” Kay said when Cassian was done. The enthusiasm in Kay-two’s voice did nothing to hide his eagerness.

            “I know,” Cassian replied. It had become clear to Cassian after tonight that Galen’s daughter would not be an easy woman to befriend. Getting any information out of her would be a difficult task, but if the Imperial City Data Center yielded the information he needed then he wouldn’t have to. “It would draw too much attention to retrieve it right away. I need to wait a few days, at least.”

            Kay’s posture turned to a slouch for a moment before he straightened again. Cassian moved to clean his bowl.

 “In the mean time we shouldn’t assume that it has the data we need. While I calculated upwards of ninety percent success upon the device’s installation into the network, we are still not entirely sure they keep Galen Erso’s records in this data center,” Kay warned.

            Cassian nodded in agreement, then rubbed his temples emphatically. “I will keep trying with Jyn until the information on the bug is confirmed.”

            “And what shall I do while you continue the charade?”

            He didn’t have to ask to understand what Kay meant. “I can’t risk letting you wonder out, Kay. This may be Imperial territory, but the risk… You understand?”

            Cassian felt the guilt gnawing in his gut. He had known from the beginning that bringing Kay wasn’t ideal, that Kay would be holed up doing nothing. In a bout of his own selfishness, however, Cassian had taken him anyway.

            “I _am_ a strategical analyst droid, Cassian, I am well aware of the risks as well as the benefits. If you were to take me to the data center with you, I would be able to gain access to information much easier and faster than you. Certainly it wouldn’t have taken me four weeks.”

            Perhaps Kay hadn’t meant to sound so criticizing, but after four weeks of the same argument over and over? Cassian could feel the annoyance and anger swell in him. “What if another Imperial finds you, and puts a restraining bolt on you? They could wipe your memory, program you back to how you were before. Do you want that?”

            Kay was affronted. “I think I could manage to stop someone from-”

            Cassian interrupted, fueled by his own need to replace his guilt with something sharper. “Or worse, Kay, they could realize you are with the Alliance. You have sensitive data, and they could pull that out of you. I wouldn’t be able to stop them, and neither could you.”

            Despite not having any facial expressions, Cassian could see the circuits working behind Kay’s eyes. Analyzing. Cassian waited, his blood pounding in his ears.

            Eventually, Kay consented. “You are right, Cassian. I apologize. I shall stay behind until it is necessary that I don’t. I didn’t mean to imply that you were not doing your best.”

            Cassian sat on the bed and laid back, a hand covering his eyes. “I am sorry, Kay. I shouldn’t have brought you along.”

            He meant it, too. If Cassian was being honest with himself, he had been too scared to go alone, but he didn’t trust anyone in the Alliance to go with him. Only Kay-two.

            “And if you hadn’t, you would never have been able to complete the device,” Kay reminded matter-of-factly. “I believe that you need rest, Cassian, so I shall power off for the time being.”

            Cassian nodded, and Kay turned out the lights. After a moment, Cassian lifted his hand from his eyes to see Kay staring straight at him.

            “I am glad you are here, Kay,” Cassian said sincerely.

            “I know.”

            Cassian was out before Kay managed to put himself into sleep mode.

 

            ***

            He spent the majority of the next morning thinking of another way he could meet Jyn Erso again. He had high hopes for the bug he had placed, but as Kay had pointed out, there was no guarantee. The Rebel Alliance had sent him to pursue Galen’s daughter with little more than a personal history on the young woman; he had to come up with the rest of the plan by himself. The pressure was weighing on him heavily.

            As it turned out, he needn’t have spent so much time coming up with a plan for a second meeting. Around midday, Cassian was on his way to the small cafeteria inside the data center. It wasn’t anything special, but the food was prepared by beings that actually had taste buds, which was a vast improvement from his meals prepared by Kay.

            Halfway between his maintenance closet and the cafeteria, someone called to him. Or, rather, his alias.

            “Jax!”

            Cassian stopped and turned to identify who was calling him. In the crowd, he saw Commander Adan Dronos approaching quickly. Cassian quickly had to amend his previous assessment of never having seen an Imperial in uniform smile before; Adan was grinning ear to ear.

            When Adan reached him, he gave Cassian a slap on the back. “Jax, old friend, I can’t believe I haven’t had the chance to say hello yet! How long have you been here?”

            Straightening a bit, he replied, “About four standard weeks, now.”

            “Stars and galaxies, has it really been that long? Time really flies when you have a full schedule. There is a reason the title of Commander comes with a pay raise, after all.”

            Adan was all smiles, and Cassian wasn’t sure how to handle that. It was such a stark change from the lonely and depressed Imperial Captain that Cassian had met some seven months ago on the Peragus mining facility. He managed a grin of his own, though it didn’t reach the effect of Adan’s own smile.

            “I am sure,” Cassian replied good naturedly.

            Adan looked about briefly before facing Cassian fully. “Are you on your way to lunch?”

            Nodding, he said, “Just a short break, I’m afraid. There is a lot more bookwork than I anticipated.”

            Adan gave an empathetic chuckle. “Oh, I certainly understand. The Empire does like their records in excess. Still, I think you could spare a little more time, couldn’t you? I’m about to head out for lunch myself. I would love for you to join me so that we can catch up.”

            Cassian had the distinct impression that Adan wanted only to brag about the promotion he had received, but he didn’t see the harm in it. Cassian was more surprised that the man had received a promotion at all what with how loose his lips were.

            “I would like that, if you don’t mind my company.”

            “Of course I don’t mind.” Still smiling, Adan gave Cassian a once over. “I would change out of your uniform, though. I don’t think they’d appreciate the grease stains on the tablecloths.”

 

            ***

            Keeping in mind that _Tal Marnath’s_ was a little higher end, Jyn had opted to not wear her gun holster. Most woman in the restaurant wore a dress of some kind, but Jyn had never been partial to them. She owned one dress that she hadn’t donned since before she had graduated from the Academy. Today might have been a good opportunity to air it out, but Jyn was mindful of not encouraging Adan into thinking their lunch was anything more than casual.

            He apparently didn’t need convincing, however, since he was very late. Surely if Adan was interested in her he would never make her sit at a table ordering “just water please” for thirty standard minutes.

            He showed up, of course, right when she was about to leave in a fit of anger. She had already thrown her napkin and braced her hands on the table when she spotted him; well, them. Because of course Adan hadn’t come alone. With him was the vaguely familiar figure of Jax Paven.

            Jyn nearly stormed out anyway. Instead, she took her hands off the table and moved the napkin back to her lap. She didn’t smile because Adan didn’t deserve it.

            Adan approached ahead of Jax. He almost sounded breathless, but Jyn was certain it was for show. “So sorry, Jyn, I got a little held up with work and then ran into an old friend. I hope you don’t mind?”

            Jyn kept her eyes on Adan, though she could feel Jax’s eyes on her. She gave a tight lipped smile. “Of course.”

            Adan smiled. “Wonderful.” He moved aside and gestured to Jax, who took one step forward and gave clipped smile of his own. “Jyn, I’d like you to meet a very good friend of mine, Jax Paven. I owe this man my career!”

            Jyn raised her eyebrows and gave Jax a once over. “Really? How interesting.”

            “Jax, this is Jyn Erso. We’ve been friends since we were teenagers.”

            Jyn thought Adan used the word ‘friends’ a little liberally, but she wasn’t about to correct him in front of someone. He was still her commander, after all.

            “We’ve met before, actually.” Jax inclined his head towards her. “A pleasure to meet you again, Jyn.”

            It was Adan’s turn to be surprised. “You’ve met?”

            “Briefly,” Jyn explained. “A light went out during my post and he came to fix it.”

            Adan turned to Jax, an eyebrow lifted and a frown appeared. “You fixed it yourself? That isn’t part of protocol.”

            For a moment, Jyn thought Jax looked a little flushed but it was so faint that she probably was imagining it.

            “I was having a bit of trouble with the maintenance droids, so I came down myself. It was no trouble.”

            “You said you needed to stretch your legs,” Jyn supplied.

            Jax nodded. “Ah, yes. The maintenance room is a little cramped.”

            “I’m sure it is,” Adan chuckled light. “I’m sure you’ll follow protocol in the future, though, won’t you? Well, then. Shall we seat ourselves and order? I’m sure you are starving, Jyn.”

            Jyn was starving, so she was happy when Adan and Jax were quick in their decisions. Adan prattled on about his day, often dropping hints that he “couldn’t get into particulars” because of his high clearance. Jax was mostly very quiet; he seemed to observe more than talk. Jyn got the distinct impression that he had never been anywhere high class before. He kept glancing at the other patrons, as if he couldn’t quite take it all in.

            Every now and then Jyn glanced over to find him staring at her. She had expected him to look away quickly. Instead, she became a little unsettled by his steady gaze; she found herself looking away first.

            “So tell me,” Jyn managed to get in after Adan stopped to take a drink. “How does a droid mechanic save an Imperial Commander’s career?”

            Jax shrugged and looked to Adan, whose smile faltered for only a moment. “I’m not sure I deserve that much credit, to be honest,” Jax said.

            “Of course you do,” Adan argued. He turned to Jyn, leaning in and lowering his voice as if he was about to tell her a secret. Reflexively, she leaned in as well. “You know I was stationed on Peragus? Well, the mining facility was suffering a bit and the workers had begun to… become a little rebellious.”

            Jyn raised an eyebrow, looking at Jax who nodded in confirmation.

            “I was captain of the regiment there, and it became apparent that things were going south. My superiors began reprimanding me for the unrest, saying I couldn’t even control a small facility like Peragus. No one would cooperate. The Empire was beginning to consider the outpost a total loss, but then Jax here came along.”

            Jyn eyed Jax. “Just came long, did you? And the problems ended just like that?”

            “I worked freelance,” he interjected, explaining. “I tend to move around a lot.”

            Adan waved it off. “Well, the point is that Jax and I got to talking, and I explained the situation to him. I told him I felt like quitting, and you know what he told me?”

            Jyn shook her head.

            “He told me to never give up. Next day things start to improve; turns out that Jax talked to the miners, made them see reason. Within a few weeks the whole place turned around and I got a promotion! I owed it all to this man, here.”

            The man in question looked very uncomfortable indeed. He waved off Adan’s praise. “I was barely involved.”

            “Well, Adan makes you sound like a bloody hero,” Jyn said, but she thought that the truth was likely something in between both of their versions of the story.

            “Well, he was a hero to me at least. That’s why I offered him this job the moment he told me he was down on his luck.” Adan clapped Jax on the back.

            “Now we’re even,” Jax replied, sporting a small smile.

            “Indeed we are.” Adan replied right as him commlink went off. “Excuse me for a moment.”

            Jyn watched as Adan went to find somewhere private, then turned to Jax. He was staring at her sympathetically.

            “I want apologize,” he began.

            “What are you talking about?”

            Jax inclined his head. “For interrupting. When he invited me to lunch, he didn’t tell me he was supposed to be meeting you.”

            Shrugging, she replied, “It makes no difference to me, so long as he pays.”

            He nodded, then took a sip of water. Casually, he said, “I wasn’t aware Adan was seeing anyone.”

            She looked at him sharply. “Trust me, he isn’t.”

            “No? I thought you looked a little upset.”

            “No. I was only upset because he was late. He and I have never, and will never be anything more than what we are now.”

            Looking mildly surprised, he replied, “I’m not sure he is aware of that.”

            “Well if he isn’t, then he is an idiot.”

            They locked eyes, then looked away to observe the crowd. To Jyn’s left there was a woman with short red hair dressed in a stunning white dress eating next to a well-groomed man. Jyn thought they looked vaguely familiar; probably senators of some sort. Since the senate had ceased the allowance of public viewings, it was hard to recognize any representatives.

            “He is an interesting character,” Jax said. Jyn turned to find him staring again. “Adan, I mean.”

            “What do you mean by that?” Jyn agreed that Adan was a unique person, but she had her own reasons for such thinking.

            He paused to consider for a moment, then looked behind him to make sure Adan wasn’t near. “I only meant to say that I’ve never seen an Imperial smile so much.”

             There were many thoughts that came to Jyn’s mind at that comment, but the only one that came out was, “Are you not Imperial? I’ve seen you smile.”

            “Not so much as Adan, and I am not Imperial the same way that you and he are.”

            “The way that he and I are? What way are we anymore Imperial than you? You’re an Imperial citizen. You work for the Empire, same as us.”

            “For now, I do,” he answered vaguely.

            “Are you not planning on staying on Coruscant then? After the trouble Adan went to secure your position?”

             Jax shrugged. “Adan knows I don’t plan on being her permanently. I don’t stay in one place for too long. When I have what I need, I will move on.”

            “You’re a vagabond, then.”

            Jax chuckled. “You say that with such distaste.”

            “Well, I prefer stability. You can’t have that if you are constantly moving.”

            Jax leaned in, putting his elbows on the table. Jyn had the distinct impression that this was considered impolite from the way several heads turn their way. Jax either didn’t notice or didn’t care. “Have you ever travelled, Jyn?”

            “Yes,” Jyn replied automatically. “A little.”

            It was the truth, but Jyn hadn’t left Coruscant in almost fifteen years. As a baby, she and her parents had gone to many worlds for their fields of work. When her father was hired by the Empire, her mother had taken her to far off worlds without him. She remembered forests, oceans, and caves. Species that she had only seen once, and never on Coruscant. That had stopped, though, when her mother had died.

            Jyn was surprised that parts of her still ached for the life that had ended before it had really begun for her. She shook her head and returned her attention to Jax.

            “I’ve seen so much of the galaxy,” he was saying, “and once you have been somewhere new, the urge to see more only gets stronger. Perhaps one day you will see.”

            “Perhaps some people aren’t meant for that,” Jyn replied, but it sounded much more like she was trying to convince herself. “Coruscant is safe. That’s more than you can say for a lot of worlds.”

            “True enough,” he consented, but Jyn could see he didn’t agree with her. “Coruscant has its benefits, just like any other world.”

            Jyn leaned in. “And what are those?”

            “Shouldn’t you know?” He chuckled quietly. She waited for him to continue. “Coruscant is still a diverse place, if you get out of Imperial city. There is a lot to experience; so many places to visit. I am finding that the company isn’t so bad, either.”

            Jyn smiled despite herself. “Made friends with all those droids in that maintenance closet, have you?”

            “Well, you can program a droid to be reliable.” He said it lightly, but something dark passed over his face. It resonated in Jyn’s gut and an unbidden image of her father passed through her mind. Both sensing the tension that had arisen, they looked away from each other again.

            “There is a diner I like to visit sometimes, just outside Imperial City.” Jyn resumed the topic of Coruscant, hoping to sidestep the awkwardness of Jax’s previous comment.

            “Oh?” Jax said, his face mostly cleared of tension.

            “My mother used to take me there. The owners have changed a lot over the years, but the menu is mostly the same. It isn’t exactly _Tal Manrath’s_ , but it is good.”

            He nodded. “I’m sure you have a lot of good suggestions. I’m assuming you’ve lived here a long time?”

            “I have,” she confirmed, “But I actually haven’t left Imperial City that often. I haven’t had much reason to.”

            A little embarrassed by the vulnerability of that statement, Jyn looked down.

            Instead of admonishing her for her lack of adventure, he only said, “Perhaps you just need someone to explore what Coruscant has to offer with you.”

            She looked up, and for the first time she thought the smile on his lips matched his eyes. Did he mean to imply that he was volunteering to be that person?

            She didn’t have the opportunity to find out, because at that moment Adan Dronos returned to the table.

            “So sorry about that,” Adan began, scooting in his chair. “What’d I miss?”

            Jyn and Jax briefly shared a look before Jyn answered. “Jax was asking for recommendations for places to visit while on Coruscant.”

            “Yes, I was,” he confirmed, eyes never leaving her face.

            “Oh, I have so many places that you need to visit, Jax. You’ll have a good list by the end of lunch!”

           

            ***

            The rest of the lunch had continued as one might have expected; Adan talked through most of it, and when it was done he had left with Jax to return to work. Jyn found it a little strange that Jax made so little effort to talk after Adan had reappeared. Then again, Adan didn’t give either of them much opportunity to do so.

            Jyn arrived at her apartment with most of the day still ahead of her and all she wanted to do was lay in bed. Habitually, she went to the holocom in the living area to check for messages. A light blinked bright blue, signaling that one was waiting for her. She turned it on.

            The faded blue image of her father appeared.

            “Star-dust,” he began, and Jyn smiled. “I was hoping to talk to you, but it seems you have finally ventured beyond the apartment walls on your day off. I am of course disappointed that I missed the opportunity to see you, but I am glad you aren’t waiting here for me to call.

            “I don’t have much time, but I had to let you know that my time on the project has been pro-longed.”

            Jyn cursed.

            “I had hoped to see you before the year’s end, but Director Krennic is insisting that all hands are needed during the final stages of the project. I wanted to thank you for all the messages you have sent; I don’t have much time to reply, but I listen to them as often as I am able. I love you, Jyn. I hope to speak with you again soon.”

            The message faded, and Jyn sunk into the couch as her heart sunk to her stomach. Not before the year’s end, he had said. More than eight months away. All Jyn could think was ‘why’? If only she hadn’t gone to lunch with Adan, she would have been there to talk with her father. He could have explained. She could have told him how much she missed him instead of just repeating the words into an empty room.

            Yet he had been glad she wasn’t there; glad that she wasn’t waiting for him this time, like she had been for every call before. Jyn had always waited for him; she told herself she always would. But could she continue like this for another eight months? For longer? It had already been a year since she had last seen him, and another six months before that. How much longer would she spend waiting in their apartment day after day, never straying too far from the com on the off chance her father might call?

            Adan had been right. She never went out; she didn’t have friends. In fifteen years she had barely strayed from Imperial City, let alone the Coruscant as a whole. Everyone she knew at work had a life beyond their job, or at least a job that was interesting. Most of her acquaintances at the Academy had received postings on far off worlds. Adan had somehow made it back to Coruscant, but even he had traveled. Seen things. Jyn hadn’t seen much of anything.

            Even the mechanic, Jax Paven, had seen more than she had. A man that Adan had described as being down on his luck, yet the man had still managed to see so much. Something about him had unsettled something in her, and perhaps now she knew why. She was jealous of him.

            Jealous of the way he disobeyed protocol. Jealous of his travels. Jealous of his apparent detachment from others; of the way he carried himself. Jax Paven’s words had struck her; he wasn’t Imperial like her and Adan. He was free from all of politics, all of the ambition. He had explored the galaxy, and only wanted to see more of it. Jyn had seen a small portion of it, and only wanted to hide from what she had seen.

            Jyn wanted things, but she was scared to reach for them. Jax had told her that she just needed someone to explore with; perhaps he was right. One thing was for sure, though. Her father would not be that person, no matter how much she wanted it. It was time for Jyn to stop waiting as if he would.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has red, commented, and given kudos! It means a lot to know that people are enjoying it so far.


	4. No More Waiting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jyn and "Jax" go for a test run.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this chapter four different ways and it still doesn't feel quite right, but I did like this version the best out of all of them. I hope you enjoy it.

            For the second night in a row, Cassian found himself in a downtrodden club in the slums of Coruscant. This time there was no togruta woman to greet him. Instead, a human man with a penchant for death sticks met him at the bar.

            The cantina was a little more crowded than the last, which suited Cassian just fine. The music was loud, the drinks were good, and the dancing was constant. It made it easier to blend in; no one paid attention to a tired man at a bar when there were much more exciting things happening everywhere else.

            “You want a death stick?” the man asked, holding out the proffered item in a twitching hand. Everyone had their coping mechanisms.

            Cassian waved him off. “Just tell me what you know.”

            The man nodded, taking a long drag from the stick. “They’re saying that the senate is going to be disbanded.”

            Cassian took a sip of his drink, not reacting. That had been a long time coming. “What about the people on the inside?”

            The man leaned in a little closer. “Mon Mothma’s out. She disappeared earlier today. There are rumors that there’s a bounty on her head, now.”

            This Cassian did not know. He schooled his face into one of disinterest, internally reeling. He had seen the woman at _Tal Marnath’s_ , out in the open and appearing serene as always. Their eyes had met briefly and he had been comforted by the fact that someone in the Rebellion knew he was still working. Now she was gone.

Mon Mothma had been the Alliance’s best hope for gaining a peaceful solution to the Empire. She had been working on peace since before the Clone Wars had ended nearly twenty years ago. Cassian had been one of many who no longer thought that was possible, but if the Empire was willing to go after someone as well liked as Senator Mon Mothma, who else could they target?

            “Is that all?”

            The man nodded. “That’s all I know.”

            Frustrated with the lack of information, Cassian put a few credit chips on the counter and left. He didn’t wait to see if the twitching man had picked them up. He walked slowly through the throng of people, mindful of the pouch on his utility belt that carried his credits.

            If Mon Mothma was gone and the senate was about to officially be disbanded, that would mean the Empire’s militaristic control was almost complete. It would be a perfect time to reveal a super weapon, the one that Cassian still had no intel on. The bug he had planted in the Imperial City Data Center had not gained any attention so far, but he worried about doing just that if he retrieved it now. It would do no good if the Empire discovered who he was before he was able to relay the information to the Alliance.

            His hope in his original mission was fading fast. He had dropped the bait for Jyn, but there was no telling if she would pick it up. Forcing his way into her life would be disastrous; he had seen the way she reacted to Adan Dronos, who had attempted to do exactly that. The fact of the matter was that he had no time to play a long game. Not anymore. Not if the Empire was taking drastic measures.

            Rebel Intelligence rarely told him any information beyond his own mission, but Cassian desperately hoped they had relied on someone other than himself to bring them information. It appeared that this time he might fail.

 

            ***

 

            Four days after the lunch with Adan and Jyn, almost five weeks since he had arrived on Coruscant, Cassian was itching to leave. There had been no word from Base One, which Cassian usually took as good news. With Mon Mothma in hiding, though, and no progress in his mission at all, he expected that any day General Draven would pull him out. He was prepared for that, if only he could get the bug he had planted.

            He had discussed strategy at length with Kay, and they had ultimately decided that a droid was the best method for extraction. An astromech would have been the easiest to use, already equipped with the arms and tools needed to remove the panel, but it would be too conspicuous. A droid like K-2SO was out of the question.

            So Cassian was working on modifying the functions of a retired mouse droid, constructing an arm piece that could retrieve the device without breaking it. It would have been easier to control it himself via a datapad, but Kaytoo had pointed out that an unidentified signal like that in the middle of a Data Center would cause suspicion. Cassian therefore had to spend the time creating a lengthy program simply so the droid could think for itself while opening the panels.

            It was taking more time than Cassian felt he could afford. Every time he hit a snag, or he couldn’t figure it out by himself, he had to wait until his shift was over so he and Kay could discuss it. Then he would have to remember it all the next day in order to do it right, all the while still maintaining his duties as the center’s maintenance technician.

            “Come on,” he said to himself, leaning over the motherboard for the mouse droid, soldering tool in hand. He had only a half hour left in his shift, and the droid still wasn’t done. Another day wasted.

            So invested was he in his work that he almost didn’t notice when the door slid open, the noise it generated causing him to jump. He looked up to find the eyes of Jyn Erso.

            He nearly dropped the motherboard.

            “Jyn,” he said, unable to hide the surprise in his voice. He put the motherboard down on the bench, and stood. “Is there something I can do for you?”

            She stood straight and tall in her uniform, her hair pinned up neatly underneath her hat. Everything about her posture said confidence, but she hesitated when she spoke. She took a step into the room, then stopped. She reached to her side, and out of instinct Cassian almost reached for the blaster in his boot, but halted himself when he realized she wasn’t reaching for her blaster. Instead, she pulled out a comlink and handed it to him.

            “It isn’t working,” she explained. “I thought you could fix it.”

            He took it from her, giving it a once over. “Isn’t it _protocol_ to go to the requisition office for something like this?”

            Something that looked like a blush passed over her face. “There was a line. I figured you might be able to do it, since you have so much time to fix lights all over the base.”    

            She didn’t speak sharply; she was teasing him. He turned his attention back to the comlink, turning the switch on and back off. Nothing happened. Removing the panel for the hidden power cell, he found the problem.

            “You went to the Imperial Academy here on Coruscant, right?” He asked, in the mood for a little teasing of his own.

            “Yes,” she confirmed, eyeing him suspiciously.

            “And you got into officer training?”

            “Yes.”

            “No small feat,” he observed. “That must’ve taken two years, at least.”

            “What’s your point?”

            “Well,” he said, handing the comlink back to her, “In all that time, they never told you how to check when your power cell is empty?”

            Jyn grabbed the comlink, the blush returning but her posture never changing. “Well, they maybe glossed over that bit. They spent a lot of time on our blaster training, though. I’m very good at that.”

            Cassian didn’t doubt that, but ignored the veiled threat. He put up his hands. “Well, I won’t tell anyone if you won’t.”

            Jyn nodded once. “I guess I’ll just go down to the requisition office, then.”

            Again, Cassian took note of her hesitation. He doubted very much that Jyn hadn’t realized that her power cell was out, which meant that she must have been using that as an excuse to see him. Hope swelled inside him, but he tried to quell it.

            “Are you sure there wasn’t something else you needed?” he asked, desperate to not let another chance go.

            “Quite,” she replied curtly, then turned to go. Her hand reached for the control panel on the door, but stopped before she pushed the button to open it. She turned around abruptly.

            “I’m a terrible liar,” Jyn confessed, and her posture relaxed some. Just a little.

            “Really?” Cassian said, feigning surprise.

            “I get it from my father, I think. But that isn’t the point.”

            “You mean you didn’t come up here for me to fix your comlink?” He allowed the slightest lift at the corner of his lips to let her know he was teasing.

            “I needed an excuse, and I realize now that it was a bad one,” she conceded. She paused before continuing. “I thought about what you said before. At lunch.”

            He had thought about it, too, but he doubted in the same context that she had. When he didn’t say anything, she explained further.

            “When you talked about travelling. Exploring Coruscant?”

            He nodded. Had she taken the bait, then? He disciplined his expression, letting only his curiosity show.

            “Well,” she let out a breath, “I wondered if you wanted to go with me.”

            “Go where?”

            The uncertain look returned, and Cassian worried he had scared her off again. “Explore Coruscant. While you’re here, I mean. I know you can’t just go with Adan; he’s busy all the time now. You want to see things here, and you need a native to go with you.”

            Trying not to appear over-eager, Cassian hedged. “I’m not sure you could be a guide if you’ve never left Imperial City.”

            “I didn’t say I’ve never left,” she corrected, “only that I haven’t had reason to. Even if I can’t be a guide, at least you’ll have someone you know you can trust to go with you.”

            An interesting phrase. “Can I trust you, then?”

            Jyn looked him over, quickly, but discerning enough to make him want to stand up straighter. “We have a mutual friend. Adan trusts us both. I don’t think he would have introduced us if he didn’t trust you.”

            Fair logic, but not one Cassian would ever have used in his personal life. Then again, Cassian wasn’t one to trust anyone. He barely trusted General Draven. “Maybe Adan simply trusts too easy.”

            “Given his line of work, I think you’d be surprised. He may be unnervingly cheerful, but he didn’t get his position by smiling.”

            That was a point Cassian would concede on. “Theoretically, if we were to… _explore_ Coruscant together, where would we go?”

            Jyn stepped closer, just an arm’s length away now. “I thought we could just start out with a drink. If we don’t hate each other after that, we could go from there?”

            “A logical plan,” Cassian remarked.

            “I thought so.”

            He took a step closer and she had to look up to meet his eyes. He noticed hers were green. “When do you want to start?”

            “Tonight,” she said, “if you don’t have other plans?”

            Internally, Cassian felt the wave of relief sweep over him. Finally, things were starting to look up. Outwardly, he nodded noncommittedly. “That sounds fine. My shift ends in half an hour. Do you want to meet at the transit station?”

            Jyn smiled tentatively, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I’ll be there.”

            Once more he nodded. “All right.”

            Jyn turned and left, and Cassian could barely concentrate on the motherboard.

 

            ***

            Almost an hour later, Cassian stepped out onto the transit platform. He had taken off the uniform and scrubbed the grease from his hands, wanting to look as casual as possible for wherever they were going. He found Jyn standing off by herself, arms folded and backed turned to him as she watched the sunset. She had thankfully changed from her uniform as well, though he noticed she still wore a blaster at her side.

            As if sensing his gaze, she turned around as he approached. Her hair was flying about wildly in the wind, despite the apparent attempt to tie it up.

            “You’re late,” she called as he approached, her voice almost getting carried away by the wind.

            “I’m sorry,” Cassian called back, “I didn’t want to go out looking like I had just been rummaging through junk piles.”

            “You look fine,” she told him, eyeing his appearance.

            It was the same outfit he had worn at lunch a few days ago. He didn’t have a lot of possessions. “You should have seen me ten minutes ago,” he joked.

            She smiled, but didn’t laugh. “There’s a cantina that a lot of people in the plaza visit after work, but I’ve never been. Did you want to go?”

            Cassian looked over at the mass of people, some in uniform some not, waiting for their shuttles to arrive. “Here in Imperial City?”

            “I think so,” Jyn said.

            Cassian watched as the shuttle closest to them began loading. He turned to look down at her. “Where’s the adventure in exploring if don’t leave the capital?”

            “Doesn’t it count as exploring if we’ve never been there before?”

            “Not if it’s in Imperial City, it doesn’t.” He gestured for her to follow. “Come on.”

            They made their way to the shuttle that Cassian usually took to go back to his small apartment. It wasn’t the nicest part of Coruscant, but Cassian had spied a few places that looked clean enough that Jyn wouldn’t run off, yet interesting enough that he doubted they’d meet any Imperials.

            “Where are we going?” Jyn asked, and he could hear the apprehension in her voice even as she tried to hide it.

            “Somewhere new,” he said vaguely. She didn’t appear happy with the answer, but she didn’t argue.

            They mostly sat in silence for the duration of the ride. Public transit wasn’t a place that one made conversation, unless they liked being overheard. Cassian wasn’t one of those people. He watched Jyn out of the corner of his eye as she seemed to become more and more uncomfortable as the streets became less and less polished. Cassian couldn’t help but think of the pampered Imperial life she must have led. It made him a little sick to think about, so he didn’t. He couldn’t afford to think like Cassian Andor would tonight; he needed to be Jax Paven.

            When they reached a spot close enough to where Cassian wanted to go, he got up and Jyn followed. Already there was a difference in the city; not as diverse as the Red Light District, but there were plenty of species other than humans milling about, paying them no mind at all. A quiet street by his own standards, but Jyn seemed to think otherwise. He’d be lying if he didn’t take a little pleasure from how uncomfortable it made her.

            He stopped in front of a colorful little bar, a jaunty tune emanating from inside. It wasn’t a club, but it wouldn’t be so quiet that it was awkward. He hoped.

            “You’ve been here before?” Jyn asked, eyeing the half-lit sign above the door.

            “No,” he replied, “that would take the fun out of us exploring together, wouldn’t it?”

            Inside the atmosphere was light; people smiled freely and Cassian felt deeply the absence of tension he had sensed in the capital.

            “Do you want a table or the bar?” he asked, and she indicated to a booth in the corner.

            After they were settled in with their drinks – they were a little more festive and water-down than Cassian would have preferred – they sat in silence for a few moments, taking the whole place in.

            “I’ve never been anywhere like this,” Jyn admitted, eying a flowery decoration that hung from the ceiling.

            “Not even when you were in school?” Cassian had spent a bit of his own time in a few more bizarre cantinas when he was recruiting right out from under the Empire.

            “I was much too concentrated on being the best at everything to really enjoy myself like that,” Jyn said, giving him a rueful smile.

            “And were you? The best, I mean.” He knew, of course, her exact standing within the graduating officers of her class. She had done better than average, but nothing spectacular.

            “Not nearly. Do you think I’d be station in front of a door if I’d been any good?”

            “I don’t know; I hear you are pretty good with a blaster.”

            “Perhaps I should’ve just been a Stormtrooper, then.” Jyn looked away unhappily. Cassian had guessed that her marks had been good enough to get her stationed someone important, but likely her father had blocked it. Galen Erso worked for the war machine, but his history had shone him as a pacifist. General Draven did not share Cassian’s theory.

            “So,” Jyn broke the silence. “Where are you from? Adan never said.”

            “I move around a lot. A little bit of everywhere, really.”

            “Your identification said your home world is Sulon,” Jyn reminded him, not accepting his evasiveness. “I’ve never heard of it.”

            Cassian had never been there himself, but he’d known people who had been from there. “It’s one of the moons of Sullust,” he explained. “A lot of agriculture. Not much to do. I left when I was young.”

            “How old are you?” she asked, taking a sip of the purple fluid in her cup.

            “Twenty-six standard years,” he answered. It was easier to keep to the truth as long as it would allow, and he saw no need to lie about his age.

            “How old were you when you left?”

            “Sixteen.”

            “Couldn’t wait to get away? Are your parent’s farmers, then?”

            He nodded, then took the opportunity to turn the conversation around. “And you? You were born on Coruscant?”

            “No, actually. I was born on a world called Vallt. A cold world, I’m told, but my parents were doing research there when I was born.”

            “Your parents are scholars?” He prompted casually, taking a sip from his own glass. Very watered down.

            “My father is an energy scientist, actually. He works for the Empire. My mother was a geologist.”

            “Was?”

            “She died,” Jyn said, but it was without emotion. A carefully constructed façade, Cassian guessed, but he let his face turn to sympathy.

            “I’m sorry to hear that,” he consoled.

            “It was a long time ago, now. Nearly sixteen years.” Jyn looked away from him, buckling under his gaze as he analyzed her. He leaned back.

            “You must not be much older than that yourself,” he commented. He knew her age and her history well, but truthfully she did look very young. She looked even younger in her uniform, so out of place.

            “I’m almost twenty-one,” she said indignantly.

            “How did you and Adan fall into together?” Cassian asked, and it was true curiosity because he didn’t know. “He’s my age. You wouldn’t have been in the same levels.”

            “I don’t know, he noticed I sat alone a lot and tried to talk to me. He’s a friendly person, I suppose. I didn’t really think about how old he was.” Jyn was surprisingly defensive.

            “And you two never…?”

            Jyn regarded him sharply. “Trust me, never.”

            “All right, all right,” Cassian said, “I won’t bring it up again.”

            Jyn took a gulp of her drink, probably realizing that she was in no danger of becoming intoxicated. “What about you, then? If we’re talking about love lives.”

            Cassian snorted. “Me? I can’t sit still for more than a few months. Take a guess about my love life.”

            “No one ever caught your interest enough to stay?”

            “Well, I’m here, aren’t I?” He meant to say that if he had found someone, he wouldn’t have come to Coruscant. Jyn seemed to take it a different way; a look of surprise and a familiar flush came to her cheeks. She didn’t protest, so Cassian felt no need to contradict her.

            “What about you? If not Adan, then is there someone else?”

            “I’ve never had a boyfriend, if that’s what you mean. But I’m no monk.” Jyn shrugged.

            Cassian raised his eyebrows, slightly amused. “I thought you said you were studying too hard to have any sort of fun.”

            “Well, not always,” Jyn confessed. “Don’t pretend that you’re virginal, either. I see the way you walk around.”

            “The way I walk?” he said incredulously. Perhaps her drink was stronger than his.

            “Very confident, as if you don’t notice the way the heads turn when they see you.” She waved her hand as if it was obvious. At that point Cassian knew she was just trying to flatter him; he was very observant, and he had not seen any heads turn his way.

            “Whatever you say,” he replied. “Confidence alone doesn’t mean anything.”          

            “I can tell,” Jyn said, looking at him in the same discerning way as before, when she said they could trust each other.

            “You’re not wrong,” Cassian admitted, and left it at that.

            The night went on with idle small talk, most of the information being exchanged things he already knew. Jyn, however, seemed to be warming up to him. Comparing her behavior with himself over Adan was comforting. He realized sometime during the second drink that Jyn was about as good a conversationalist as he was, even when he was pretending to be someone else. They didn’t make it to three drinks, but Cassian decided that was for the best.

            They paid separately, and left the bar side by side. Out on the street, Jyn turned to him. “Do you want to share a speeder back?”

            Cassian shook his head. “I can walk back.”

            “Are you sure?” Jyn said doubtfully, taking in the trash lining the street.

            “I’m not far from where I live. I’ll be all right,” he assured. He had certainly been in far worse places than this.

            Jyn didn’t seem convinced, but she didn’t argue. “If you’re sure.”

            “I am,” he confirmed. “What about you? Is tonight a success, or is Jyn Erso tired of adventures?

            He pretended not to wait with baited breath as she seemed to consider the question. She stepped closer to him. “I think I’ll require another test before I decide.”

            “Sounds fair,” he consented. “You know where to reach me when you’re ready.”

            Jyn turned to the air lanes, and hailed down a speeder. Before getting inside, she turned around. With one hand on the speeder door, and the wind gently sweeping through her hair, she looked at him and smiled. “Thank you, Jax.”

            Something struck Cassian then, and hard. Not a physical blow, but it almost felt like one. He had looked at Jyn Erso and, despite everything, found her beautiful.

            Kriff.


	5. Scene in a Market

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassian takes Jyn to a market.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again to everyone who left kudos or commented, or just read it at all! It means a lot to see that people enjoy what I'm writing.

_His path was lit only by stars, and the cold night air caused his breath to come in short rasps that manifested as bursts of cloud in front of him. By now Cassian knew the way well, following the icy ravine all the way down the mountain towards the bunker he called home. It was a dangerous way to travel, but it was the only way to avoid the Stormtroopers._

_He was late, had stayed too long talking to Morgan’s son, and now his mother would be worried. Curfew was at nightfall, but the resistance kept its own counsel on when and where they could be. Cassian knew his mother wouldn’t agree, but it was hard to leave the place that made you feel like more than yourself._

_It was a long journey from the caves that the resistance fighters used as their base, and it felt like an even longer on the way back. At the opening of the ravine, Cassian could see his mother’s home against the mountainside. The lights were still on, like a beacon in the darkness. His feet were sore and he couldn’t feel his nose anymore, but he quickened his pace for the last few meters, pushing the door controls and hurrying inside._

_His mother was there immediately; she didn’t look angry. Instead, she looked terrified. Cassian would have preferred the anger._

_“Cassian!” She knelt down beside him, cupping his cold cheeks. “Where have you been?”_

_He didn’t answer, didn’t want to tell her. They both knew where he spent all his time now, and they both knew that he had been forbidden to go. Her face fell in understanding, brown eyes brimming with tears._

_“You can’t continue doing this, son.” They both knew her pleading was no use. She couldn’t keep track of him all day, not now that his father was gone and she was working at the chemical factory._

_“I don’t want to do anything else,” Cassian said pleadingly. “I can help them.”_

_His mother said nothing, instead pulling him in close, hugging him tightly while he would still let her._

_The knock on the door was sudden, but by the look on her face, his mother had been expecting it. She stood tall and walked to the door. “Cassian,” she said, “go into the kitchen. I’ll be right there.”_

_Something wasn’t right; it was past curfew, no one would be out to call on them. Fear gripped him, but Cassian obeyed her request and hid in the kitchen._

_He heard the swish of the door, and then the familiar garbled speech of a Stormtrooper._

_“Misses Andor,” he heard the Stormtrooper say. “Awfully late to be up when you have work in the morning?”_

_“Awfully late to be calling on me, then,” his mother replied. Cassian peaked his head around the doorframe. There were three troopers in the entryway, towering over his mother’s slight form._

_“We have some questions,” said one trooper. He had a shoulder pad, one that signified the rank of captain. He took several steps inside the home, inspecting the small living area. “Questions about your boy.”_

_For a moment, Cassian’s heart stopped beating altogether._

_“Cassian? What could you want with him?”_

_“Let’s not fool around here, misses Andor,” the captain said plainly. “We’ve been watching this house ever since your husband tried to interfere where he didn’t belong.”_

_Cassian slipped back inside the kitchen, and wondered if there was someplace he could hide. There was a small window beside the table that his mother used to vent out steam. He could probably fit through it._

_His mother’s voice carried to the kitchen. “Are you trying to imply that my_ eight-year-old _son could possibly have anything to do with the resistance?”_

_“I’m not implying anything.” The captain’s words were absolute. “There are witnesses. Your neighbors have a bit more sense than your family, it seems.”_

_“Witnesses for what? Cassian is a good boy! This is ridiculous, my husband acted alone-!”_

_“Search the house!” The captain ordered, and Cassian heard their footsteps head in his direction._

_“Cassian, run!” He heard his mother cry out, and he immediately darted for the table, pushing the button to open the small window. The effort lasted only seconds, as the Stormtroopers entered the kitchen. The troopers grabbed him before he could slip through the window. He fought, kicking his legs and thrashing about wildly; they were too strong for him._

_The captain stood in the center of the living area, one hand on his hip and a blaster in the other. His mother stood at the side, looking hysterical as she watched the captain and her son._

_“Listen here, boy,” the captain began, gesturing for the Stormtroopers to release him. “This can all end fine for you if you cooperate. No need for a repeat of what happened to your old man.”_

_Cassian glared._

_“All you need to do,” the captain continued, “is tell us where that little group of troublemakers is hiding.”_

_“He doesn’t know what you’re talking about!” Cassian’s mother stepped forward, putting herself between the captain and Cassian._

_“Quiet!” The captain bellowed, and backhanded his mother so hard that she fell to her knees in front of him. Cassian took a step towards his mother, but the troopers held him back. He began struggling in earnest again, blood boiling with rage._

_“I’m not a very patient man, so let’s try this one more time;_ where is the resistance hiding? _” The anger so evident in the captain’s voice would have made Cassian shake if he’d had a normal childhood. As it stood, Cassian had vowed never to back down to a Stormtrooper ever again. He would be like his father; brave, even to the end._

_Cassian spit with all his might, the shot landing square in the eyes of the captain’s helmet. For a moment, there was silence in the room as everyone took in Cassian’s defiance. The shock wore off quickly._

_“Why you little shit!” The captain bellowed and the two troopers holding Cassian gripped him tighter. The captain raised his gun, and for a terrifying moment Cassian thought he might actually shoot him. He stopped struggling, too stunned to think of escape._

_His mother intervened, knocking the captain down and straddling him while she knocked her fists uselessly against the white armor. The other troopers let go of Cassian to help out their captain, and Cassian ran for the door. He opened it and turned around to see his mother, still struggling against the three troopers who hadn’t noticed Cassian’s escape. Their eyes met briefly and he could see the plea on her face; she wanted him to run._

_He did. He ran out into the night, but he didn’t get far before he heard the blaster shot ring out, echoing against the mountains. The sounds of pursuit soon followed, and Cassian knew that his mother was dead._

_He told himself not to cry; Morgan had said that the time for tears had passed years ago and the time for fighting was now. He hadn’t cried since his father had died two years before, and he couldn’t afford to start again now._

_Going to the resistance base was out of the question; he didn’t want to lead the Stormtroopers right to them. Instead he went the opposite direction, down the slopes of the snow covered mountain, half stumbling and half sliding his way down. He didn’t know how long he ran, but eventually he found a hiding space between a snow bank and a tree with low hanging branches. There he waited, freezing with his knees to his chest._

_His mother was dead. His father was dead. Cassian tried not to cry, had told himself he wouldn’t, but the tears came unbidden and he stifled them against his glove covered hands._

This isn’t real, _he told himself._ This is a dream. Just a bad dream.

 

            Nightmares were common for Cassian. He’d had them ever since he was a child, even before he had anything to be afraid of. As an adolescent, he’d wake up disoriented and panicked. He would thrash about, talk in his sleep. Sometimes he still would, but Kay had stopped mentioning it when it happened. Lately, when Cassian awoke from a nightmare it was a silent affair. Little more than a slow opening of eyes and a brief feeling of relief. He liked to think that the dreams could not affect him anymore while he was awake.

            Tonight must have been a bad one, because Kay-tu was already watching him. Cassian had been having a version of that nightmare since the actual events took place. Details changed, but it always ended up with his mother dead. The first person he had ever left behind.

 Cassian sat up slowly, examined the chrono on the nightstand.

            0400.

            He’d slept long enough, he supposed. Turning on the light, he looked to Kay-tu, who sat with a datapad in one mechanical fist.

            “Ah, good,” Kay-tu said, “You’re finally awake. While you were resting, I identified several areas in your program for the mouse droid that could lead to potential erratic behavior.”

            Rubbing one eye with a fist, he wordlessly held out the other for the datapad. Kay handed it to him as he continued.

            “Most of the issues should be easy to repair, though I have located at least too critical failures in the code itself.”

Yawning, Cassian looked over the program that he had spent painstaking hours on. Kay had highlighted all problem areas in red. “I don’t suppose you know how to fix it?”

            “As you are well aware, my capabilities are for locating potential problems. It is your job to fix them.”

            That was more true than Cassian wished. Critical errors in his code, indeed. “Perhaps you could run the diagnostics on your own programming so I can get rid of your erratic behavior as well.”

            It was a poor joke, but not one Kay took seriously at all. Cassian had grown accustomed to his brutal honesty, even found it refreshing. He preferred it to the way living beings lied through their teeth. He was all too aware of the hypocrisy in that thought.

            “You could always upgrade my functions to allow me to fix the program myself, though I have my doubts about your ability to complete such an installation considering your trouble with the mouse droid.”

            Cassian rolled his eyes. “Something to consider when we make it back to home base.”

            “Our chances of that happening are looking grimmer by the day,” Kay said pointedly. “If you insist on continuing with the original mission, I would consider altering your deal with Jyn Erso.”

            Preparing for another battle over strategy, Cassian put the datapad down. “My deal with Jyn?”

            “Yes, the one you made that allows her to make all the decisions.”

            Shaking his head, Cassian reasoned, “Jyn is still uncertain of me, and everything I have seen has proven that she doesn’t respond well when pressured. It was the only way.”

            “I suggest a more accelerated tactic; if we remain on this course, it could be months before you gain her trust. It took her four days to respond last time, and you were only granted that by coincidence.”

It was an inconvenient truth, but a truth nonetheless. Cassian acknowledged that Kay was probably right, though he wasn’t sure how to proceed. Kay, of course, had no suggestions of his own. She had been responding well enough to him thus far, and it seemed unlikely she would outright reject him after she had sought him out. Still, a part of him resisted the idea. He hadn’t told Kay because he couldn’t possibly understand. Cassian recognized his hesitation for what it was.

            He was attracted to Jyn, and that was a problem Attraction was simple; that wasn’t what worried him. Lust could be abated or ignored. It was something he could handle, but it had been entirely unexpected. What concerned him was that he had let his guard down long enough to think of Jyn as anything beyond what she was; an Imperial officer, his enemy, a means to an end.

            He had allowed himself to get too close, and he worried it would only get worse with increased contact. It was a difficult line to walk; trying to become a friend while maintaining a distance. He had no choice but to take the path in front of him, however, so he might as well get it over with quickly and efficiently.

            “I’ll see what I can so,” he told Kay, and resumed his work on the datapad.

It was some hours later when Cassian finally put the datapad down to get ready for his shift at the Data Center. He showered quickly in the small refresher and donned his spare uniform.

“You are running out of supplies,” Kay informed him as he prepared to leave. “Only twelve ration bars left, and judging from the way you have avoided them, I would suggest restocking the fresh supplies.”

            Cassian looked into the cupboard for confirmation; twelve ration bars and nothing else. Wonderful. The slop that Kay had been preparing wasn’t much, but at least it was warm. Ration bars tasted like chemicals. He grabbed one to eat on his way to work.

            At least now he had an idea on how to approach Jyn.

            ***

Cassian waited for Jyn outside of the Data Center, hiding from the strong winds of the plaza from behind a column. Coruscant controlled its climate, but the winds were strong in open areas on the high levels and it could get cold at night. The sun was already set, but there was still a faint flow on the horizon. He started to shiver in his uniform as he watched for her.

            In a sea of uniforms, it was hard to distinguish features, but in the end her recognized the way she walked. She carried herself with confidence, but something in her gait was unpolished compared to the rest of the officers. He approached her from behind.

            “Jyn,” he called softly, and she turned. The surprise on her face was evident.

            She joined him behind the column. “Is there a reason you’re hiding in the shadows, or is this part of your job now?”

            “I can think of worse jobs,” he replied with a smile.

            Jyn looked around, rubbing her harms against the cold. “Aren’t you still supposed to be working?”

            “I pulled a few strings,” he began, then corrected himself. “Rather, _Adan_ pulled a few strings to get my schedule changed. I was waiting for you.”

            “So I see,” said Jyn. “Well, what do you need?”

            He couldn’t see her eyes; the cap she wore cast a shadow over them in the low lighting behind the column. Jyn’s eyes were very expressive, even if the rest of her face stayed neutral; not seeing them prevented Cassian from gaging her reaction to his words. “Have you ever been to a day market?”

            “A day market?”

            He shrugged. “You know, vendors, crowds, fresh produce, and handmade merchandise?”

            Jyn shook her head. “I can’t say I have. I never saw the point, really, when I can have everything I need delivered to my door.”

            Just as he had suspected. “I’m going to one tomorrow morning,” he explained, “and I think it could count as one of our adventures if we went together.”

            Jyn placed a hand on her hip as she looked up at him. “Did we decide we’re doing those?”

            “We didn’t decide not to, if I remember.” He pursed his lips, waiting for her answer.

            Jyn put clasped her hands behind her back in a casual stance of attention. Skeptical, she asked, “Is a market really worth seeing?”

            “Worth experiencing,” he clarified, “at least once.”

            “Tomorrow’s my day off.”

            Cassian nodded. “I know.”

            “Have you been stalking me, Jax?” She asked it playfully, unaware of how right she was.

            “I pay attention,” he replied nonchalantly.

            After a moment of consideration, Jyn consented. “I hope you don’t plan on going early. I promised myself I’d never get up before sunrise on my day off.”

            “I wouldn’t dream of interfering.”

            They decided on a reasonable time after daybreak and began to head towards the transit station, walking in amiable silence. They lived in very different parts of the Coruscant, so they parted at the station.

            “I mean it,” she told him, “don’t expect me to be on time. I never get out of bed early on my day off.”

            An unbidden image of her lounging in bed came to Cassian’s mind, and he desperately pushed it away.  “I promise I won’t arrive early.”

            “I’ll see you tomorrow, Jax,” she said, giving a little wave.

            “See you tomorrow, Jyn,” he replied quietly.

            ***

            Cassian and Jyn met at the same location where they had parted the night before. The sun was shining, but the long shadows cast by the endless cityscape and a fluke of the weather made for an unusually cold morning. Cassian wore his jacket to fight against it, but Jyn wore nothing more than a sweater and a scarf. For just a moment he hadn’t recognized her, for she had pulled the scarf over her head, hiding her face against the wind.

            “You’re awake,” Cassian greeted. “I half expected to find you in your night wear.”

            Jyn gave a forced laugh. “Haha, I do actually wake up early every other day of the week. I just like my day off to be relaxing.”

            “Adventures are rarely relaxing,” said Cassian.

            “Maybe you just take the wrong sort of adventures, then.”

            “You’re mistaking adventures with vacations, I think.  Vacations are relaxing, adventures are exciting.”

            “I suppose I’m simply inexperienced,” Jyn said thoughtfully. “I’ve never been on a vacation before.”

            Neither had Cassian. “Perhaps that will be an adventure you take one day?”

            They smiled, and headed to the shuttles. They once again enjoy the silence and hum of the journey, the sunlight filtering in and out through the windows as they passed the enormous buildings of Coruscant’s capital. The path Cassian had chosen to take was as direct as he could make it; they change shuttles only twice. The market was really only just outside Imperial City, but several patrons at the bar outside of his apartment had said it was the best place to buy anything from off world.

            The transit took them right past the Senate Building, though Cassian wondered how much longer the Emperor would let it be called that. No one on the shuttle paid the building any mind, but he couldn’t help himself from staring. Inside that building was the Emperor; the most powerful man in the galaxy. People were scared of the man, even those in the Empire’s employ. Cassian thought that he should be scared as well, but he found himself mostly angry. Some days it felt like that was all he needed to keep him going. He hoped to live to see the Emperor fall, if not the Empire itself.

            “Pretty incredible, isn’t it?” Jyn said, interrupting his thoughts.

            “What?” he asked, tearing his eyes away from the building.

            “The senate building? It’s so big, even for Coruscant. I got to go inside, once.” She was bragging, or at least attempting to impress him. Cassian couldn’t be less impressed.

            “Really?” he asked, feigning interest.

            She nodded. “I was only a little girl, but my father’s superior arranged for me to get a tour while my father went to a meeting. It would probably seem less grand to me now, but back then I thought you could get lost there forever if you took a wrong turn.”

            “You probably could,” Cassian remarked dryly. He’d seen cities smaller than the senate building. The easy silence resumed as the shuttle took them further out of the Senate Plaza.

            The market was chaos in the same way that every market was chaos; hordes of people wandered about, some leisurely, some hurriedly. Vendors called to potential customers to bring attention to their wares, and lines formed in front of the more popular carts. There was an energy in it that Cassian had seen in every system he had visited.

            Stormtroopers patrolled it. Cassian could see it least three pairs of them, blasters in hands instead of in holsters. It was an illusion of their protection, but Cassian saw the way the crowd tensed as they passed.

            Jyn seemed a little overwhelmed, though by what he wasn’t sure. The smell, the noise, or the people?

            “Pretty incredible, isn’t it?” he said, echoing her earlier comments.

            She looked up at him. “That’s one way to put it. How does anyone get anything done? There’s barely any room to breathe, let alone look around.”

            “I’ll show you,” he said, and then boldly offered his hand to her. He knew she would take it as flirting, but it was really only practical. If he planned on pushing his way through, he didn’t want her to get lost behind him.

            She hesitated for a moment before taking his hand in her own. He led her into the throng, pushing his way through until the crowd began to yield to their presence and accept them in.

            “See anything that interests you?” He asked her, looking around. Cassian had a few things he actually needed, but those could wait until they’d explored a bit.

            “I can’t see much of anything,” she replied a little sourly.

            It occurred to Cassian then that Jyn was rather short, and could probably barely see above the heads of those around her.

            “I’ll lead the way, then?”

            She nodded, and he scanned the vendors to find something interesting. After a moment, he led her to a food cart with a moderate line.

            “Ever had a Corellian breakfast?”

            Jyn shook her head. “It smells… interesting.”

            It was interesting; deep fried vegetables and meat on a stick, with a sweet sauce drizzled on top. It wasn’t something that he would eat every day, but he understood the appeal. Jyn seemed a bit conflicted about it.

            “You don’t like it?” he asked, holding back his amusement at her grimace.

            She swallowed with effort. “I’m sure it’s an acquired taste. I’m more of a… fresh fruit for breakfast kind of person.”

            “Well, if you never try you’d never know. Let’s find something more to your liking?”

            She nodded eagerly, looking apologetic as he took the fried stick from her and led her through the market again, stopping at a mid-rim produce stand. Cassian offered to pay for her shuura fruit, but she declined resolutely. He picked out a few fruits for himself, storing them in the rucksack he had taken with him.

            They stood off to the side of the market while Jyn ate her fruit, watching the people pass by. Cassian had graciously eaten her discarded breakfast, and threw the sticks in a nearby bin. The market was growing brighter and more crowded as the sun rose, and Cassian couldn’t help but notice that even more Stormtroopers had entered the market. Was it a hot spot for crime, or was it to remind off-world marketers who was in charge?

            “Do you see a jewelry stand?” Jyn asked, still nibbling at her fruit.

            Cassian scanned the market. It was hard to tell. “I’m sure we can find one. Do Imperial Officers get the chance to wear a lot of jewelry?”

            “No,” she replied as she discarded the remaining fruit and wiped her hands. She opened a pouch on her belt and took a necklace out of it. She held it up for him to see. It wasn’t much more than a string and what looked like a crystal. “The clasp broke,” she told him. “I thought someone here might be able to fix it.”

            “I’m sure we’ll find something, though I’m not sure you’ll want to wave that about here if it’s valuable.”

            She shook her head. “It’s a kyber crystal. My mother said they were used to power the Jedi’s lightsabers, but I don’t think anyone here will know that. It’s just a stone.”

            Cassian did he best to keep his face neutral. He’d heard of kyber crystals mentioned before, and recently. It had been in an intelligence report before he’d left base one. The Empire had started stripping the Holy City in Jedha to get to those crystals. Was it a coincidence that Jyn had one?”

            “Your mother gave it to you?” he asked, debating if it was too bold to ask why she had it.

            Jyn nodded, putting the necklace back. “Yes, just before she died.”

            So it hadn’t been from her father.

            “You never said,” Jyn began carefully, “but are your parents still alive?”

            Cassian stilled. Family wasn’t a topic many people spoke of in the Rebellion; it was usually assumed that any family one had was left behind in the fight against the Empire. Left behind, or dead. No one had asked Cassian about his family in years. “No,” he said finally. “They’re not alive.”

            “I’m sorry,” she said, and it sounded sincere. It was a difficult thing to hear coming from someone who worked for the people that had killed them. After a moment, she asked, “Any siblings?”

            “None,” he said flatly. He remembered wanting a brother, asking his parents for one. There were foggy memories of whispered conversations between his parents talking about not wanting to raise another child during war. The Clone Wars had ended, but his father had barely survived past it. “I’m an only child.”

            “I am, too,” she told him, and he couldn’t help but think she looked remorseful.

            “You aren’t alone,” he told her comfortingly. “You still have your father.”

            Jyn gave him a wavering smile. “Let’s go exploring a bit, shall we?”

            Instead of taking his hand and letting him lead her, Jyn strode into the crowd as if she hadn’t been nervous about it only a half hour earlier. He followed her as she walked about leisurely, stopping to look at stalls with amateur art and whittled figurines. She stayed away from any food carts, weary of the unfamiliar smells.

            They found their way to a jewelry stand, most of it homemade with shells and stones from a variety of worlds. Cassian lingered at the stall beside it, browsing salvaged hydrospanners and droid repair kits that seemed a little overpriced, but staying within earshot.

            Jyn began to explain to the woman in the stall about her necklace, but it became apparent very quickly that the vendor only spoke Huttese and Jyn didn’t. Cassian found this surprising, to say the least. Most beings could at lease understand Huttese, if they couldn’t exactly speak it, and vice versa with Basic. Jyn was making an honest effort to show the woman what she meant, but when the woman saw the crystal she began insisting that Jyn let her buy it.

            Cassian intervened before Jyn unknowingly gave away her mother’s necklace. Standing beside Jyn, he gestured to the broken clasp and spoke Huttese to the woman. “They clasp is broken, can you fix it?”

            “Is she willing to sell it? I can save her the effort, and buy it from her now. Ten credits; that’s a good deal,” the woman tried, looking too eager for her own good.

            Cassian huffed and shook his head. “We’ll pay for a new clasp, but she’s not selling the necklace.”

            The woman pursed her lips, regarding the necklace.

            “We’ll go somewhere else, then,” he said, and turned to Jyn, who looked very confused. He took her by the shoulder to turn her around when the woman called out to them.

            “Wait,” she said, and gestured to the necklace. “I can fix it. Ten credits.”

            Cassian shook his head and held up three fingers. “Three credits.”

            Scowling, the woman said, “Five credits, no lower.”

            Agreeing, Cassian took the necklace from Jyn. Before handing it to the woman, he slid the kyber crystal off the string entirely. “Will it take long?”

            “Not long,” she replied, frowning at the kyber crystal in his hand. He returned the crystal to Jyn.

            “You speak Huttese,” she said. “They didn’t teach me that in school.”

            Cassian shrugged. “I didn’t learn it in school. It’s a common language. If you want to travel, you pick up a few things or else you get swindled.”

            “They don’t really speak it in Imperial City,” she said abashedly. “What’d the woman say?”

            “She wanted your necklace. She was trying to buy it from you,” he informed her.

            Understanding washed over her face. “She was trying to swindle me?”

            He nodded. “I said you might not want to wave it around; she knew it was valuable.”

            Brows knitted in irritated, Jyn huffed. “Well, I guess I’ve learned my lesson.”

            They were interrupted by a sudden commotion a few stalls down to their right, and Cassian moved closer to Jyn, preparing to shield her from whatever had caused the disruption. There was shouting, and then Stormtroopers began pushing their way through the crowd.

            “Jax, what’s going on?” Jyn stood on her toes, trying to see over the crowd.

            He shook his head. “I don’t know.”

            Cassian would have liked to stay put, to keep under the radar of the Stormtroopers, but Jyn pushed her way forward and he found himself following her. They pressed past bodies until they stood at the edge of the commotion. There was a small clearing in front of a sweets stand where a twi’lek vendor stood angrily as a human boy was being held by Stormtroopers. The boy couldn’t have been more than nine or ten, and his scrambling proved futile against the Stormtroopers. It became clear quickly that the boy had attempted to steal.

            “I wasn’t stealing!” he cried, struggling to pull his arms free but the troopers jerked him back. Cassian winced, still remembering what it felt like to be in the boy’s position.

            “I saw you!” the twi’lek answered. “Check his pockets!”

            The Stormtroopers did, revealing a handful of treats. “You’re coming with us,” one of them commanded to the boy.

            “They’ll make his parents pay,” Jyn said somberly. “A lot more than what a few sweets are worth. Why are they being so _rough_ with him, though?”

            _They’ve done worse_ , Cassian thought. He’d heard of labor camps with children younger than that. He watched, shaking his head, as the boy struggled against the troopers. As one Stormtrooper leaned down to grab a hold of the boy’s legs, he managed to get hit square in the face with one of the child’s kicks.

            _“Why you little shit!”_ The trooper yelled, and Cassian’s heart skipped a beat. He’d seen something like this play out before.

            “Set for stun,” one of the troopers said, and another raised his blaster as the boy was violently forced to the ground. They were showing him mercy, then, if only in front of the crowd. Even a people who ignored their own oppression would take issue with someone harming a child right in front of them.

            Jyn took a step forward, perhaps to intervene, but Cassian put a hand on her shoulder. “Best not get in the way,” he told her, not taking his eyes off the boy.

            “Like hell,” she said, shrugging his hand off her shoulder. Cassian watched in amazement and horror as Jyn boldly strode into the clearing, and the troopers raised their blasters to aim at her instead. Cassian took a step forward himself, and then stopped. It wouldn’t do the alliance any good if he got himself killed in a skirmish in the market. He watched with baited breath instead.

            “Step back, ma’am. We have this under control.”

            Jyn didn’t step back. “I am an Imperial Officer, and I can vouch for this boy.”

            Predictably, the troopers weren’t convinced. “Sure, ma’am, and I’m an admiral.”

            With an astounding patience, Jyn lifted her hands into the air. “You can check my identification,” she said confidently. The troopers looked between each other, then nodded. One came over and took the blaster from her holster, then retrieved her I.D. docs from her belt. After a moment of inspection, the trooper returned his attention to her.

            “All right, Officer Erso,” the trooper said condescendingly. “How can you vouch for this boy?”

“This boy,” she indicated to the child on the ground who was still being held down, “is my friend’s nephew.” To Cassian’s growing horror, she pointed him out in the crowd. He resisted the urge to slink back into it.

            “Your friend’s nephew tried to steal, Officer Erso. We have laws to follow.”

            “He wasn’t stealing,” Jyn insisted. “I asked him to get me something from this stall, but I forgot to get him the money.”

            Even without being able to see their expressions, it was apparent that they didn’t believe her. Still, they didn’t contradict her, which was incredible in and of itself even if she did technically outrank them.

            “I have the money now,” she continued, and very slowly reached into her credit pouch. She turned to the twi’lek vendor. “Will twenty credits cover it?”

Twenty credits was well over-paying, and everyone watching knew it. It was a bribe, but a bribe the twi’lek was willing to take. Jyn handed the money over and gestured to the boy. Seemingly grudgingly, the Stormtroopers loosened their grip and the boy ran to stand by Jyn.

“Thank you for being so understanding,” she nodded to the officers, and took the boy by the shoulders as she guided him towards Cassian.

            It was silently agreed that their time in the market had come to an end. Cassian, Jyn, and the boy exited the market after picking up Jyn’s necklace, well aware that they were being watched. No one spoke until they were out of sight.

            “That was very stupid.” Jyn leaned down to lecture the boy. “You could’ve gotten into a lot of trouble over a few sweets.”

            He still looked scared. “I know, but-”

            “Don’t try to make excuses,” Cassian interjected harshly. “No one will be there to help you next time.”

            The boy looked down, and nodded solemnly. Jyn gave him a look that seemed to indicate she thought he was being too hard on the boy, but Cassian disagreed. Perhaps in Jyn’s world, growing up as an important figures daughter, things had been easier. She’d been able to be a child, but outside of that world reality was harsh. A slip up could get even a kid into a world of trouble. Cassian knew first hand.

            “Do you parents live nearby?” Jyn asked the boy, and he nodded in response. “Go home, and don’t get into any more trouble.”

            If Kay had been there he would have given them the unlikelihood of that happening, but he wasn’t. Cassian kept his own thoughts to himself as the boy ran off. They watched him go, then shared a brief look before heading to the transit station.

            “I can’t believe how harsh they were on him,” Jyn seethed as they walked. “He’s just a child and they threw him on the ground!”

            Cassian refrained from commenting. The fact that Jyn had sympathy for the boy was surprising. Stormtroopers and Imperial Officers rarely showed any feeling towards anything. Perhaps they’d realized in the Academy that Jyn had a capacity to feel, and that was why they have shoved her away to guard a door in the heart of Imperial City.

            “And you tried to stop me from helping!” Jyn looked up at him, incredulous.

            He sighed before replying. “I learned a long time ago not to get involved with things like that.”

            “You’re saying you’ve seen something like that before?”

            He could’ve laughed. It was sad and hysterical that Jyn seemed to think it _wasn’t_ a common occurrence. They really had locked her away from it all. He knew that the Empire told everyone that they were the good guys, but people actually believed it? Even Adan had admitted the Empire’s efforts on Peragus had been harsh. The Empire ruled with fear and an iron fist. What did Jyn think they did?

            “More times than I care to remember.”

            Jyn quieted for several minutes, speaking up only as they boarded the shuttle. “Has that happened to you?”

            Cassian considered his answer. Of course Cassian had his fair share of run ins with the Empire, but none quite so horrible as when he was on Fest. Jax Paven was a different story. “No,” he decided. “But I’ve seen it first-hand.”

            Jyn was staring at him, searching him with her eyes. “You hesitated. Does that mean you’re lying?”

            He shifted in his seat. “I’ve had some close calls, but nothing so bad as that.”

            Jyn looked away, a thoughtful expression on her face. Cassian let his eyes linger on her face a little longer than what was acceptable. He felt it again, a tightening in his chest as he looked at her. She was a curiosity, an anomaly. She’d shown compassion for a boy who had possibly deserved punishment, had seemed appalled at the treatment of him by the Stormtroopers. He didn’t want to hope, but he wondered if it would be possible?

            He’d recruited out of the Academy before, but the indoctrination wasn’t usually complete at that point. Jyn had gone through it all, had become an officer. Her father was an important figure in the military. Despite that, he saw the potential in her. If he could get her to look up and see what the Empire truly was, maybe he wouldn’t have to deceive her to get the information he needed. Instead of an unknowing informant, he would have a willing one.

            Jyn Erso could become a rebel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Winter break has ended and I have less time to write, so I expect that I'll only be updating weekly.
> 
> Does anyone else find themselves going throughout the day like normal, and then it just hits you again that everyone in Rogue One dies and you fall into a state of depression? Not just me, right?


	6. Pure Pazaak

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassian and Jyn play Pazaak.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off I want to apologize for the delay! Writer's block is killer, but I managed to push through for this chapter. Thank you for all the comments/kudos! I was pleasantly surprised that people were commenting even though I hadn't updated for weeks, and it really gave me the motivation to keep trying. So I can't thank you enough for that!
> 
> This chapters is a bit heavy on the mechanics of the game Pazaak, which I know is super boring and possibly confusing if you have no idea what that is. In short, pazaak is a card game in which the goal is to reach the sum of twenty, or as close to it without going over. Two players draw random cards from a pile to reach the sum, but they also have a side deck of plus/minus cards that they can use to either lower or raise their total.

            Jax was watching her. She was pretending not to notice, and instead looked out the window of the small diner and observed the speeders passing by. They hadn’t spoken much since leaving the market, but had mutually decided that they didn’t want their outing to end yet. He had spent the majority of the silence stealing glances at her, and she had spent the majority of the time ignoring it. Jyn suspected that he was waiting for a reaction to his earlier confession. Jyn wasn’t quite sure she wanted to think about it at all.

            What did you say when someone tells you that they’ve been mishandled by the very people that are supposed to protect them? Jyn counted herself among those, and it made her uncomfortable. There was an underlying bitterness to Jax’s words, even if he tried to hide it. Did he see her in the same way that he saw the Stormtroopers?

            Jyn turned from the window to look down at her tea. Two sugars, no cream. She stirred the cup, aware of Jax’s dark eyes on her movements. He had ordered a caf, no sweeteners. Despite her best efforts, her mind kept wandering back to the boy in the market. It may have been true that the boy had been stealing, but it certainly hadn’t warranted such a violent response. Had Jax’s experience been similar? What had he even done to garner the attention of Stormtroopers to begin with? Jyn wasn’t sure she wanted to know, but she suspected he was waiting for her to ask.

            “You mentioned this place before,” Jax said, breaking the silence.

            Jyn looked up. There was a tension between them, but Jax always appeared relaxed regardless of the circumstances. It looked forced today. “Did I?”

            “At lunch,” he answered, “with Adan. You said your mother used to take you here?”

            It was true. Jyn had once sat in the very booth they occupied now, a very different pair of brown eyes staring back at her. Jyn didn’t want to think about that, either. “Occasionally.”

            Jax’s eyes left her briefly, and he stared into his cup before taking a sip. “Never with your father?”

            It needled at her, that question. Jyn wished that she didn’t know why. “No, just my mum and I. My father worked a lot.”

            Jax nodded, and seemed to hesitate before asking the next question. “For the Empire, did you say?”

            Unbidden, an image of a Stormtrooper shoving a little boy against the ground appeared in her mind. She pushed it away. Her father would never do that, and neither would she. “He works for the energy department,” she said defiantly. “He’s trying to find a way to provide renewable energy to the entire galaxy.”

            Jax seemed surprised by this. “They’re working on this here on Coruscant?”

            “No.” Jyn shook her head. “He’s off-world, but they’re making progress. It won’t be long, now.”

            Eight months, perhaps more. At least until the end of the year. Her father hadn’t been very specific on the details, but Director Krennic wouldn’t be pushing so hard unless they were making strides in the project.

            Jax cleared his throat, then shifted in his seat. “That seems like a worthy cause.”

            “It is.”

            For whatever reason, silence resumed between them. Jax stopped his gazing, and Jyn drank her tea. It was mid-morning and the diner was mostly empty. Two men sat in a booth a few rows down, playing a card game quietly. Outside, a scheduled storm began to roll in.

            “Jyn,” Jax began, and something in his tone made her stiffen. It was the way her father would say her name when she was a child right before he told her that he was leaving again. Intuitively, she knew he was going to bring up the incident in the market.

            “You’ve been to a lot a places in the galaxy, haven’t you?” Jyn interjected before he could say whatever was on his mind. Jax took the change of topic in stride.

            “Many places,” he confirmed.

            “Where’s the most exciting place you’ve ever been?” Jyn asked as enthusiastically as she could muster, trying to appear relaxed. She had been to a few planets herself, but it had been a long time ago. Her father had travelled to many different worlds, but do to policy in the Empire, his work locations were secret. She could read about other worlds, but it wasn’t the same as someone who had first-hand experience.

            “The most exciting?” Jax asked skeptically. “I suppose that depends on what you find exciting.”

            “Well, what did you find exciting? By your own definition?”

            Jax thought for a moment, staring into his cup, both his hands clasped around the middle. Jyn waited patiently, glad to have successfully taken his mind off the market.

            “When I first left Sulon,” Jax began, “One of the first places I went was Nar Shadaa.”

            Jyn gaped. “Isn’t that a Hutt world?”

            “It’s one of Nal Hutta’s moons,” Jax confirmed. “Basically a big stop for smugglers and gangs.”

            “And you find that exciting?”

            “Now? Not really. But at sixteen without having been much of anywhere, it seemed to hold a lot of possibilities.”

            Jyn grimaced. “I’m not sure I want to ask what you found there.”

            Jax laughed. “A lot of scum, really. But there was a level of anonymity there that I had never experienced before, and it was refreshing.”

            Jyn wasn’t sure that she could relate. She didn’t know what it felt like to be anything _but_ anonymous. “Did you stay there long?”

            “Long enough to visit so many cantinas that I realized that they’re all the same in one way or another.”

            “So the other night when we went to the bar, it wasn’t really anything new for you?” Jyn asked, a little disappointed at the thought.

            Jax shrugged. “When you’ve been to so many places, it begins to blend together.”

            Jyn sat back in her seat. Outside, it began to rain. “I’m assuming all markets and diners are the same as well?”

            Jax raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

            “Well, it isn’t much of an adventure for you if we only do things that _I_ haven’t done before.” It put too much of the focus on her, and she didn’t like that. “It’s no fun for you.”

            “The energy is a little different on Coruscant. I can do the same things as I would anywhere else, true, but it’s still different,” Jax reasoned.

            Jyn shook her head. “It isn’t the same. I don’t want to go dragging you around from place to place. We’re supposed to explore together.”

            Jax scoffed. “If we only did things I haven’t done, it would be a very short list.”

            “Well name something you haven’t done, then,” Jyn implored. “We could switch off choosing where we want to go.”

            Raising an eyebrow, Jax leaned forward. “Does this mean we’re no long on a trial basis?”

            Jyn blinked. “I suppose so.”

            Seemingly satisfied, Jax’s lips tugged upward as he leaned back. “Well, give me a moment to think of something I haven’t done that we could do on Coruscant. Until then, I think maybe you should pick the things we’ll do. I’m happy to tag along.”

            There was no sarcasm in his words, and Jyn couldn’t help but return a smile. “Then we can properly plan this out,” Jyn said. “No more surprising people behind columns at work.”

            Jax smirked. “Agreed. No more barging in to peoples work spaces.”

            Rolling her eyes, Jyn replied, “I believe you’re the one who set that precedent.”

            “Only after you called me down,” Jax pointed out.

            “I called for a droid, not a rugged mechanic.”

            “Rugged?” Jax asked, feigning offense.

            Jyn gestured to his face. “I’ve never seen an Imperial with so much facial hair!”

            The smile stayed on Jax’s face, but the humor left his eyes as soon as the word ‘imperial’ passed her lips. Damn. Why did she have to bring that up again? She could practically see him imagining the boy in the market.

            Jyn cleared her throat, thinking quickly as she scanned the diner for inspiration. A few rows down, the two men were still playing cards.  “I’ve never been to a gambling club,” she blurted out.

            Jax shook his head, as if shaking himself out of a reverie. “What?”

            “I’ve never been to a proper club. Never played cards, really. I’ve always wanted to.” It was partially true. Somewhere deep, deep down. Hardly one of her priorities, but it always looked so fun in the holovids. It had been a favorite pastime of one of her roommates at the Academy.

            “You want to go gambling?” he asked, genuinely confused.

            “Yes?”

            He shook his head. “I’m not so sure that’s a good idea.”

            “I didn’t say it was a good idea, but it’s something I want to try.”

            “You don’t even know how to play,” he said discouragingly. “Sabacc isn’t an easy game to learn.”

            “Do you know how?”

            Jax hesitated. “Well, yes.”

            Jyn straightened. “Then you can teach me.”

            Jax shifted in his seat, clearly doubtful. “I don’t know Jyn, you could lose a lot of money that way.”

            She leaned forward imploringly. “Now who doesn’t have a sense of adventure?” she taunted. “I’ll be in safe hands with you as my teacher.”

            After a moment, Jax sighed. “All right.”

            “Really?”

            “I’m going to regret this,” Jax said forebodingly.

            Jyn smiled. “Probably.”

 

            ***

            They needed cards in order to practice, and it turned out you could buy them just about anywhere. Jax chose a grocer nearby, where he loaded a few essentials into his basket before steering them towards an aisle that seemed to sell many pointless trinkets. Cards were apparently counted among those.

            “What is ‘pazaak’?” Jyn asked as Jax picked up two decks and added them to his basket.

            “Another card game. A lot easier than sabacc.”

            Jyn frowned. “But I want to learn sabacc.”

            Sighing, he looked down at her. “You will, but first let’s do something basic? You don’t learn to pilot a ship before you learn to walk.”

            Jyn rolled her eyes and grabbed a sabacc deck to add to the basket, staring at him pointedly as she did so. “Right.”

            They paid for the items and started to make their way back to the transit station. The scheduled storm had passed, leaving a clean scent behind along with puddles that had yet to drain. The sun waned in the sky of the afternoon.

            “Are we done for today, then?” Jyn asked, thinking of her couch and the last hours of daylight on her day off.

            “If you’d like,” Jax replied, not looking at her.

            She nodded and gestured to the station. “I think we take separate shuttles from this point.”

            Jax nodded, observing the crowd that was forming. A shift must have ended nearby.

            “We can meet tomorrow?” Jyn asked. “We have the same lunch hour now, don’t we?”

            “I think so,” Jax replied. He turned to her fully, and readjusted the strap on his bag.

            Jyn took a step backwards, towards her shuttle. “Well, I’ll see you then.”

            He nodded in response, giving her a small wave before turning away from her completely. For reasons she wouldn’t fully admit to herself, she watched him until she couldn’t see him anymore.

 

            ***

            “You cannot be serious, Cassian.”

            Cassian sighed and began unloading the dehydrated food packs into the cupboard. He had just explained his plan to recruit Jyn, and as he had expected Kay-tu disagreed wholeheartedly.

            “You must know the chances of recruiting a fully realized Imperial are very low. Especially a privileged one such as Jyn Erso.”

            “I think she may be different, Kay.” She was. There was something about her that Cassian couldn’t put to words, but he recognized that same spark in Jyn that he had seen in dozens of alliance recruits.

            “Our mission was to extract information from her that would lead us to Galen Erso.”

            “Our mission,” Cassian said meaningfully, “was to get information on Galen Erso by any means necessary. If I say it is necessary to bring her to our side, then that is what we’ll do.”

            “She would never turn against her father,” Kay replied. “Everything in her file is indicative of stubbornness and Imperial loyalty.”

            Cassian had thought that originally, too, but she had shown compassion rarely seen in an Imperial. “Maybe the file was wrong this time. She plays things close to the vest, but she showed her true potential today at the market.”

            “That could easily be explained by maternal instinct,” Kay reasoned. “I find it statistically unlikely that she would have intervened if it had been a child of any other species.”

            Scoffing, Cassian closed the cupboard. “It was more than that. If you had been there, you would agree with me.”

            Kay didn’t seem to know how to respond to that. “That is beside the point. We should be concentrating our energy on extraction of the data in the tower. Jyn Erso is serving as a distraction.”

            “If we can get her on our side, we can have an Imperial informant. That is better than a one-time data swipe, Kay. Even you can see the advantage in that.”

            It took a few moments before Kay conceded. Cassian wondered if droids could have pride, and if so he marveled at Kay’s consistent ability to overcome it. The benefit of being able to think logically at all times.

            “What is your strategy?”

 

            ***

            Officially, it was just a cantina. The lighting was low, the patrons relaxed, and the drinks were cheap and plentiful. There was nothing official about the gambling that went on inside, but a few tables had been specifically set for games of dice and pazaak. It wasn’t technically legal to allow gambling in an establishment without a license, but neither the owners nor the patrons seemed to care much.

            Jyn was not impressed. If Cassian had to take a guess, he would say it was a far cry from what she had imagined when she had said “gambling club”. No glitz, no glamor, just a few people who liked to play cards for money. Judging by the small crowd, perhaps not even that. A band played softly in the corner, a sleepy tune that matched the easy chatter of the customers. He gave her a side-long glance as they entered, trying to hide his amusement as she waved smoke out of her face.

            “Well,” he said, pausing just inside the entrance.

            “I thought it’d be more...” she trailed off, looking around the sparsely decorated room with a grimace. “Well, more.”

            “You can’t start out at the top,” he reminded her. The reason he had chosen a low-key establishment was her lack of experience. After only two short lessons over lunch the past few days, Jyn had become impatient. She wanted to jump in head first, and he was almost inclined to let her, if only to teach her a lesson.

            “I know,” she replied, annoyed at his patronizing words. She took a step to the side, putting her back to the wall. “So do we just start playing, or is there some sort of protocol for gambling I don’t know about?”

            He gestured to a row pazaak tables that were empty. “We’ll start playing, and see if anyone wants to join us.”

            Pazaak was an easy game, but it was usually unpredictable. It wasn’t like sabacc, which involved deception and a strategy. No upping the ante, just one wager on who would win and at the end you got a payout. Cassian and Jyn weren’t playing for money, though. He just wanted to draw interest in the game. They played a few rounds before a more people started sitting at the tables. Cassian took that as his cue.

            “Where are you going?” Jyn asked as he moved to stand. She grabbed his arm, preventing him from doing so. He couldn’t help but notice the panic that shown in her eyes. As often as Jyn attempted to appear detached and uncaring, he was noticing that she didn’t like to be alone.

            “For a drink. I’ll bring one back for you,” he assured her.

            “What should I do if someone wants to play?” Her confidence and impatience apparently gave way to fear.

            He smirked. “Then you play them.”

            Setting her jaw, she let go of her hold on him. He stood and took a few steps before he turned around, remembering something important. She looked up at him expectantly. “If someone asks to play Nar Shaddaa rules, say no.”

            Her eyebrow raised quizzically. “What are Nar Shaddaa rules?”

            “Trust me,” Cassian said, shaking his head, “just say no.”

            The bar had a decent vantage point for viewing the entrance and the pazaak tables, and Cassian lingered there even after his order had been filled. Kay had picked out the establishment per Cassian’s specifications. Small, casual, and perhaps due for another raid by the Empire for non-compliance with gambling laws. Kay was insistent that the best course of action was to shock Jyn into compliance, but Cassian disagreed. He was hesitant to expose Jyn to more of the Empire’s brutal tactics so soon after the market. He was afraid of scaring her away from opening her eyes. If he did it slowly, however, she would be able to come to her own conclusions without him having to force her.

            He didn’t think there would be a raid tonight. There weren’t enough customers to bust, and the Empire loved to make a show of force to as many people as possible. It was for the best. He would let Jyn put her guard down; the impact would be greater that way. Her strong reaction a few days before was proof of that.

            It hadn’t taken very long before someone had approached her. Cassian watched as a doros sat across from her and they began to play. Even from the bar, Cassian could see her nervousness begin to dissipate as the game wore on. Her posture went from ramrod straight to leaning back against the chair. A few more people had entered the cantina, and some of them joined the pazaak tables.

            He returned to the tables before all the spots were filled, sitting next to Jyn as he placed a glass of juma juice beside her. It was only a moment before her game with the doros ended, with Jyn coming out as the winner. After the credits were grudgingly paid, the doros stood and left in the direction of the bar.

            “I won,” Jyn said smugly as she gathered the cards from the table.

            “Good,” Cassian said, sipping his ale. “You can pay me back for your drink.”

            Jyn glanced at the glass beside her before leveling him with a look of displeasure. “Really, Jax? Juma juice?”

            “What? Getting drunk while gambling is a good way to lose all your credits,” he defended.

            “You’re drinking,” she said, indicating his glass of Corellian ale.

            He shrugged. “I’ve also played pazaak before. I know what I can handle.”

            “Are you saying _I_ can’t handle it?” Jyn asked, eyebrows bunched in irritation.

            “That’s not what I meant-” Cassian began, but was promptly interrupted.

            “Mind if I join you?” a masculine voice asked smoothly.

            Cassian and Jyn turned to find a human man with his hands on the back of the chair opposite Jyn. He was smiling easily, his hazel eyes intent on Jyn. Without waiting for a reply, he slid into the seat, brandishing a deck of pazaak cards.

            “Fancy a game?” he asked.

            Jyn’s irritation left her quickly as she replied a bit flustered, “Sure.”

            To that Cassian rolled his eyes. He would have expected more from her than to simply melt when a handsome man came calling, but it served as a reminder that he did not know her well.

            “The name’s Logra,” the man said as he began to deal. “What’s yours?”

            “Jyn,” she replied as she dealt her own cards. A decent hand, but Logra’s was better. Was it the luck of the draw, or something else? Cassian kept his suspicions to himself.

            “Pretty name, with a face to match,” Logra said with a wink. “This your first time out?”

            “How could you tell?” Jyn asked curiously. Cassian could have answered that. Jyn’s mannerisms and expressions gave her away easily. They’d have to work on that if she was serious about learning sabacc.

            “Oh, I’ve been playing this game a long time. After a while you can just tell.”

            The man was loose with his compliments, remarking on everything from Jyn’s beauty to her natural skill at cards. Jyn seemed to soak every bit of it up like a sponge, and something inexplicable awaken in Cassian every time it happened. Probably just nausea from the proximity to the overt flirting. After two rounds of ties and endless blushes, Cassian stood to get himself another drink.

            It was a con, he decided. That was why it irritated him. Jyn was falling for the distraction and failing to notice that she was being cheated. The method was common; Cassian had used it once or twice himself. Flatter the opponent, let them win a few rounds to build their confidence, then turn the tables and make off with the winnings. Cassian had told her about that one at lunch that afternoon, but she had apparently forgotten. When she joined the rebels, Cassian would advise his superiors to avoid placing her in the intelligence division.

            He brought back with him one glass of water and another ale, this time for Jyn. She barely took notice of him, engrossed in her game and conversation with the apparent card shark, Logra.

            “So, are you alone tonight, or…?” The man trailed off, casual but hopeful. Cassian suppressed a groan of annoyance.

            “Oh, no,” Jyn replied, and she gestured to Cassian. “I’m here with my friend, Jax.”

            Logra’s eyes turned to Cassian, looking him over in a way that made Cassian think he was sizing up the competition. “Pleasure,” he said drily.

            “Likewise,” Cassian replied pleasantly.

            “So you, what, follow your friend around like a lost gizka or do you play cards?”

            He felt Jyn’s eyes on him, but he kept his own locked on Logra’s. “Oh, I’m just here to watch today. I’m new at cards, Jyn said she’d teach me.”

            Jyn regarded him sharply, but all Cassian saw was the way Logra’s eyes narrowed. Cassian hoped this meant that Logra knew he was being watched and wouldn’t try anything.

            “Well, I think that’s the definition of the blind leading the blind,” Logra laughed. “Let me teach the girl a few things before she goes instructing you, all right?”

            He couldn’t pinpoint exactly how Logra was cheating, but his instincts told him that it was happening. The man flourished his cards impressively, every now and then showing Jyn a sleight of hand trick. He managed to keep her eyes locked on his face, instead of his hands. At some point, a twi’lek man asked to join Cassian in a game, but he waved him away. He needed to catch Jyn’s opponent in the act, so he played the part of a curious observer.

            It was as Cassian had predicted; Jyn won the first match, but Logra promised to pay her double if she won again. She immediately agreed, though Cassian would have advised her against it if he’d had the chance. They started to deal their elective cards, and once again Logra’s cards were better. Jyn didn’t seem to notice nor care.

            “Is this mine?” Jyn asked, gesturing to the ale he had brought her. Without waiting for an answer, she took a sip of the drink and placed it back a little closer within her reach. The game began. Jyn won the first two rounds, they tied for the third, and Logra took the fourth. On the fifth round, Logra had chosen to stand at 18 while Jyn debated on how to proceed. She was at 13, but she had a plus five card in her elective draw pile. She could stand at 18 and tie the round, but then she would have no more cards in her elective pile to draw from. Logra still had a minus one card and a plus three card.

            She chose to draw. With bated breath, she flipped over the card. It was a plus six, bringing her total to 19 and automatically winning the round and the match. Jyn looked up, smiling brightly at her luck. Cassian watched closer for her opponent’s reaction; Logra didn’t seem all that put out by the turn of events. In fact, he looked pleased.

            “Looks like it’s double for me, nothing for you,” Jyn said elatedly.

            Putting his hands up in defeat, Logra replied, “You’ve beaten me fair and square.”

            Jyn gathered the cards into a neat pile. “That’s one hundred credits you owe me now.”

            Cassian nearly choked on his water. Hadn’t he been telling her the past two days that she should start low? He silently added reckless to Jyn list of attributes.

            Logra pulled out a pouch of credits, much to Cassian’s surprise. Had he been wrong about the card player’s motives? The man started counting out chips on the table before he paused and looked to Jyn, who was eying the growing pile with satisfaction. Ah, here came the final play.

            “What do you say we make things a little more interesting?”

            “Interesting how?” Jyn asked.

            Putting the credit pouch aside, Logra leaned in on his elbows. “We play one more match. If you win, you get the hundred credits. If I win, we ditch the extra person,“ Logra nodded to Cassian,” and get to know each other a little better one on one.”

            Jyn had been receptive to Logra’s flirting all evening, but this caused her to pause. There were many potential reasons for this, but Cassian couldn’t narrow it down. He didn’t know her well enough to guess on her hesitation. To Cassian’s surprise, Jyn looked to him as if she was asking him what she should do. What was he supposed to say? That he suspected Logra of cheating, but so far he didn’t know how? Accusations without evidence didn’t go well at the card tables.

            He gave her nothing but a look of casual disinterest, a mask he was used to wearing. She turned back to Logra. “All right,” she said. “One more match.”

            It shouldn’t matter, he told himself. The outcome of the evening had little bearing on his mission. If she lost, it would serve her right for not paying attention to his lessons. Then again, if she lost she would be spending the rest of her evening with the mysterious and handsome card player. Something turned in his stomach at the thought.

            Logra and Jyn dealt their cards and the match began. Whatever Logra was doing to cheat, it was subtle. He didn’t have enough time to stack the deck, and counting cards was risky. Sometimes it even looked like things might have not gone the way the man had intended, and he adopted a sour look. The game progressed as normal, with a tie at the start and then Jyn winning two rounds in a row. The next two rounds were followed by Logra winning, using all but one of his elective cards to do so.

            Pazaak was a fast game, and some rounds could last less than a minute. Jyn was taking her time to decide, however, when the last match came around. If nothing else, Cassian admired the way she put her whole self into the task. Her brow furrowed just a little in concentration, and she subconsciously bit at her lip. Both she and Logra only had one elective card left. A minus three for Jyn, and a plus five for Logra. Jyn was at 16 and Logra was at 17, and the odds were in Jyn’s favor. It seemed like a haphazard strategy to take, leaving it to the last moment to take the win. A good tactic for cheating, though, to make it seem like the win was a hard earned struggle.

            Jyn began her turn, flipping over a three and turning her total to nineteen. Choosing to stand at nineteen was good, but she could get lucky and make it a twenty if her next draw were a one or a four. The odds weren’t good for that, but Jyn took her sweet time deciding if it was a risk she was willing to take. Logra didn’t seem too troubled by the turn of events, leaning back in his chair with one hand palm down on the table.

            It was in that moment that Cassian finally realized what had been happening, and he could have kicked himself for not realizing sooner. Logra’s plus five card had inexplicably turned into a plus two. So the bastard _was_ cheating, palming cards from a hidden deck somewhere and switching them out when needed. It was a trick that wouldn’t have worked on a seasoned pazaak player, but Jyn was not experienced. He had no excuses for his own lack of attention.

            Jyn was going to take the risk, and she would probably lose because of it. He told himself that his next actions had nothing to do with preventing her from spending more time with her opponent. He was simply stopping a blatant cheat from winning.

            “Jyn,” he said, getting up. He added a sway to his step as he approached, making a point to slur his words a little. He was far from drunk, but neither of them needed to know that. “I’m going to get another drink.”

            Jyn look at him, brows furrowed in confusion and what might have been concern. He paid it no mind as he stumbled between the tables and pretended to lose his balance. His hands shot out to catch himself, landing on their table and knocking over Jyn’s ale. Jyn and Logra jumped out of their seats as the liquid spilled across the table, soaking just about every one of the cards in the process.

            “Oh, kriff,” Cassian said, acting distressed. “I’m sorry!”

            Logra cursed and began shaking off his hands, which had been splashed with the ale. Jyn hurried to Cassian’s side, placing a steadying hand on his arm and back. The commotion caught the attention of the other cantina goers, and a few people stepped closer to see what had happened.

            “Are you all right?” Jyn asked, her eyes searching his. He felt a pang of guilt at her genuine concern, but it didn’t last.

            “I’m fine,” he replied. “Are you?”

            Jyn didn’t get the chance to answer, as Logra began to loudly complain about the state of his pazaak cards. “Son of a bantha!” he exclaimed, picking up a sodden card.

            Jyn turned to him. “Logra, I’m so sorry-”

            “ _You_ don’t need to apologize,” Logra said, pointing to Cassian. “Your clumsy hutt-spawn of a friend needs to pay for my cards!”

            Keeping up the facade of the clumsy drunk, Cassian slurred his next words. “I said I was sorry.”

            “Sorry doesn’t cut it,” Logra said, growing red in the face. “These cards cost me fifty credits! This was a rare deck!”

            Cassian open his mouth to reply, but Jyn stepped in front of him protectively. “Then you can just take that out of the hundred credits you owe me.”

            Logra scoffed. “I don’t owe you anything, sweetheart. We weren’t able to finish our match.”

            “I was about to win,” Jyn said confidently. “And I would have won, even with your cheating.”

            Logra froze, and the tension in the room thickened. A few of the other pazaak players rose at the accusation. Cassian hid his own surprise; he had assumed that Jyn hadn’t noticed. Had she been aware of it the whole time, and if so why had she continued playing?

            “You can’t prove anything,” Logra said, which was as good as a confession to Cassian. It seemed that some of the other players agreed, and they moved in threateningly.

            “I’ll save you the embarrassment of you proving me right,” Jyn said disdainfully, “if you just pay me the credits now.”

            It was a standoff without blasters, thankfully, but a standoff nonetheless. Jyn likely didn’t have any solid proof, but she had numbers on her side and the pressure of that caused Logra to give in. He paid the fifty credits, though Cassian thought she deserved the whole hundred for him trying to cheat her. He and Jyn watched the man leave, every pair of eyes in the cantina taking note to watch out for the cheating scum in the future.

            It only took a few moments for the atmosphere in the room to return to normal, the customers already forgetting the scene and moving on with their night. Jyn turned around to face him. She didn’t look very happy. “I’d say that maybe you should hold off on drinking for the rest of the night, but seeing how you’ve only had the one ale I’d hazard a guess and say you’re not actually drunk?”

            Cassian grimaced. “Sorry.”

            “Let’s not let one misstep ruin the whole evening.” Shrugging away the tension, she held up her newly earned credits and put on a smile. “Next drink is on me!”

 

            ***

            Despite the offer of free drinks, Cassian kept his consumption to a minimum. It wouldn’t do him any good if it turned out there was a raid, or any other form of Imperial involvement. Intoxication made you vulnerable, and he did not allow himself to be that exposed around anyone. Jyn was another story.

            After Logra had left, she proceeded to drink until she was cheerfully swaying on her feet. Not disheartened by the earlier cheating, Jyn played several more games of pazaak with various players. She lost every single game, owing more credits than she had won in her game against Logra. Despite this, her spirits kept up well into the evening until Cassian decided that they should leave. She gave a mild protest, but relented when he reminded her of the hour.

            “Did I say pazzak was boring?” she asked as the left, her words slurring just a little.

            Noticing her swaying, Cassian put an arm around her to help maintain her balance. “You did,” he confirmed.

            “Well, I take it back. Pazaak is fun.” Following his cue, she put an arm around his waist. “We should do this again tomorrow.”

            Cassian huffed dubiously. “We’ll see what you say about that in the morning.”

            Jyn stumbled a little, and he readjusted his hold on her. She pressed closer to him, her hand coming up underneath his jacket and grabbing a fistful of his shirt. She was warm.

            “Maybe not so much drinking next time,” he added carefully. “At least not when we have a full shift the next day.”

            Jyn groaned dejectedly. “Oh kriff, I forgot about that.”

            Jyn slumped a little again, but Cassian forced her back up. They probably looked quite the pair stumbling along the platforms as they were. They only made it halfway to the transit station before Jyn needed a rest. “My head is spinning,” she informed him.

            Seated on a bench, she put her head between her knees and Cassian wondered whether he was supposed to offer his comfort or not. He decided not.

            “This is your fault,” she said, her voice muffled.

            Cassian balked. “ _My_ fault?”

            “Yes,” she said, sitting up again slowly. “You’re a terrible drinking partner. Don’t you know you’re supposed to stop someone from getting too drunk?”

            “I wasn’t aware you were so well versed in the rules of social drinking,” he said dryly.

            “I am,” she said, nodding with a grimace, but then amended her statement. “I’ve seen a lot of holos anyway, and you are definitely supposed to prevent your friends from drinking so much that they want to vomit.”

            “Should I be taking notes?” he said, folding his arms and leaning back.

            “Another thing,” she said, turning to him.

            “Oh? This should be good.”

            “Shhh,” she shushed him. “Where was I? Oh right, you’re a terrible wingman.”

            He fought the urge to bring a hand to his face. “Now I’m your wingman?”

            “Well not anymore!”

            “Who was I supposed to be helping you with? The pazaak shark?”

            Jyn considered. “Well, he was very handsome! He was charming.”

            “He was charming because he was trying to distract you from how he was cheating,” he reminded her. “How did you know he was cheating, anyway?”

            Jyn waved a hand, then brought it to her forehead. “I didn’t.”

            “You were _bluffing_?”

            She let her hand fall and looked at him. “I don’t know, I thought he must be for you to put on such a show. Good one, by the way. You really ruined that opportunity.”

            Cassian shook his head in disbelief. “You mean that you wanted to go out with him even though he was cheating you?”

            Jyn shrugged. “Not _go out_ per se, but have some fun or something. Don’t even try to tell me that you’ve never kissed a stranger, mister never-in-one-place-for-too-long.”

            Cassian had kissed strangers before, but strangers were really the only types of people he _had_ kissed. Getting attached in his line of work usually didn’t end well. Some of the others in the Alliance liked to mingle with each other, but Intelligence officers rarely lasted more than a dozen or so missions. Besides that, his focus had and would always be the rebellion’s cause. He wasn’t about to tell her that, though.

            “Of course,” he replied. “But I don’t usually go for the ones that would rather be fumbling for the contents of my pockets.”

            Jyn let out a short laugh before shoving him away playfully. “Oh, shove it. You scared him off anyway.”  

            “I scared him off? I think we should put that credit where it belongs.”

            “Come on, you’re the one who ruined his cards. You play a horrible drunk, by the way. Have you ever even been drunk?”

            Ignoring her question, he replied, “You’re the one who caused the whole cantina to turn against him. I was trying to let him off easy.”

            “Well, he turned out to be an ass.”

            “An understatement. You deserve better.”

            “What do you mean?” she asked, leaning forward. He couldn’t tell if it was intentional, or if she was still swaying from the drink. He should have made her drink some water before they left. He didn’t lean away. In the evening lamplight her face was cast in shadow, but he could still see her eyes sparkle. Her eyes had a captivating beauty, and he found it difficult to pull himself away from them.

            “Just that you deserve someone who will be honest with you.” It was a statement for her benefit just as much as it was his. He was not being honest with her, not yet. She would join the rebellion, but likely never forgive him for the lies he told her now. He found the strength to look away.

            Jyn said nothing in reply, and a silence fell between them even though the noise of the street persisted. He let it go on like that for several minutes before he cleared his throat and stood, offering his hand to her.

            “Ready to go?” he asked.

            She nodded in reply, and took his hand. She didn’t let go after she was standing, and Cassian didn’t stop her as they walked the rest of the way to the shuttles. They lived at opposite ends of Imperial City, but Cassian was loath to leave her alone in her inebriated state so they boarded her shuttle together. She didn’t complain about his presence, and sat close to him despite the mostly empty transport. It was an unspoken agreement that he would see her home safely.

            Unsurprisingly, Jyn lived in a nice part of Imperial City, not that there were any bad parts. The high rise wasn’t as illustrious as any of the senatorial apartments, but it was well maintained. They walked the empty platform right up to the entrance of her building, which required a hand print for access.

            “You can make it up on your own?” he asked, but it was mostly rhetorical. Jyn had sobered significantly on the journey back.

            “I think I can manage,” she replied, but she hesitated by the doors. Switching her weight from foot to foot, she began, “Do you…” but cut herself off with a shake of her head.

            Cassian took a step forward, reducing the distance between them. “Do I what?” he asked quietly.

            Jyn was several inches shorter than him, but by the way she carried herself it didn’t seem like it. She always stood tall and confident, but something in her posture tonight made her seem vulnerable. “You’re very mysterious to me sometimes,” she said, her eyes exploring his face openly.

            Cassian raised an eyebrow. “I am?”

            “Sometimes I look at you and believe I know just what you’re thinking,” Jyn said quietly, and her hand raised slowly to his face, not quite touching it. He stilled. “Like I can see it in your eyes, but then your face goes blank and I wonder if maybe you were never thinking anything at all.”

            “Maybe I wasn’t,” he hedged, well aware that he was currently wearing the mask she was referring to. His heart beat wildly in his chest.

            Jyn’s hand dropped. She sighed, but let a smile grace her lips. It didn’t reach her eyes. “Probably not,” she agreed lightly, and stepped back. “Goodnight, Jax.”

            “Goodnight, Jyn,” he replied, watching her depart as he attempted to calm his heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! The next chapter is going to start more into their romance now that they have some established familiarity, so hurray for that. It is titled "For Luck".
> 
> I am unfamiliar with the etiquette for this site, and I don't want to offend anyone. If I am doing something wrong/neglecting to tag something that should be tagged, please let me know and I will fix it. Thank you!


	7. Routine Conversations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A glimpse of the future. Kaytoo doesn't understand human behavior. Jyn and Jax talk a lot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Author is an unintentional liar. Don't pay attention to the author notes; they are lies.

            This wasn’t how Cassian had wanted the night to go. For the last several weeks it had felt like his whole mission was crumbling all around him, like he had somehow lost his touch. He had been grasping at straws and pulling up nothing, but somehow still found himself returning to her again and again despite the futility. He had been lying to himself about the reason, but after tonight he wasn’t sure he could anymore.

            It had all gone to hell in mere moments, though, and he already regretted the plan that Kaytoo and himself had coordinated.

            A raid was something that he thought might push Jyn in the right direction, like an extended scene of the marketplace which had disturbed her so terribly. He had been involved in raids before, and while the Stormtroopers roughed a few people up and arrested others, it mostly resulted in a few fees that the patrons had to pay and then they were on their way. A little unnecessarily rough, but not horrific.

            The scene before him tonight, on the other hand, was a blood bath. Who had fired the first shot, Cassian might never know, but he could see blood on the wall opposite him, and a woman on the floor he recognized as one of his opponents of the night. Cassian himself was hidden in the shadows of an alcove, blaster at the ready but unwilling to go into the fray if it meant he’d only die a moment later. No one had bothered to turn off the music, which was playing from speakers on the wall. It created a bizarre soundtrack to the upheaval in the club, and he could still hear it above the screaming and blaster fire.

            In theory, Jyn would be fine. She was an Imperial officer, but not in uniform tonight, and the troopers didn’t seem to be interested in taking prisoners. Jyn had received top ranks in marksmanship at the Academy, but as far as Cassian knew she had never been in a battle. She viewed that Stormtroopers as her allies, and could be taken off guard by them. Cassian couldn’t – wouldn’t let anything happen to her. Not if he had anything to say about it.

            Cautiously, he inched into the light for a better view. He saw more bodies on the floor, some dead, others writhing. All civilians, not a single Stormtrooper.

            “Time to even the score,” Cassian muttered to himself, taking a step out, his back to the wall. The card den was mostly clear of troopers, and a quick survey of the room revealed that all of the cameras had been shot down. Cassian scowled; any undue cruelty by the Stormtroopers would be undocumented. Justice to the innocent victims tonight would not be served, but Cassian would be remiss if he didn’t take advantage of it. There would be to footage of the troopers, to be certain, but there would be no evidence of Cassian either.

            At the entryway of the den, two troopers were dragging a Rodian, who appeared to be unconscious. Two quick shots dispatched them, and the Rodian hit the floor soundly. There wasn’t time to help her.

            The shots drew the attention of a third trooper, who seemed confused for a moment as to where the shots had come from. They looked about before zeroing in on Cassian, who was the only civilian left standing in the room. Before the trooper could raise their blaster, Cassian had a laser through the eye visor. They dropped soundly.

            The action had left den for the most part, the only remaining Stormtroopers having been taken out by Cassian. He could still hear screaming and the crackled voices of the troopers through their helmets coming from the bar and club area. Unsure of where Jyn was gone, Cassian tried to keep his back to the wall as he inched toward the den entrance. The club was roughly star shaped, with the bar in the middle of the area, and five separate areas branching off from there; the foyer, the card den, the dance floor, the dancers stage, and then the sporting view screen area.

            It was a guess at best as to where Jyn had fled, but based off of timing alone Cassian doubted that she had made it to the entrance before the raid had started. He hoped she had fled, but given her interference at the market, he thought it was unlikely that she _hadn_ _’t_ inserted herself into the situation. If she had done as Cassian thought, the Stormtroopers wouldn’t take kindly to it. He doubted they’d give her a chance to prove her position in the Empire, either.

            Listening carefully to check if anyone was nearby, Cassian poked his head around the corner to assess the rest of the club. The flashing lights in the dance room made it too difficult to see what was going on in there, and the bar hid his view of the vid screen section. From his angle, he couldn’t see the foyer either, but he could see the dancer’s stage. It was little more than a runway and a few plush seats, but Cassian could see at least one lifeless body spread across one of them. What was interesting, though, was that there was a door to get on to the stage.

            There were no signs of Imperials around the stage, either.

            It was pure instinct, but Cassian acted on it. It was just a few meters away from the card den entrance, and if he was quick, he could make it. The bartender was currently being arrested, his face pressed roughly into the bar, but the two Stormtroopers apprehending him had their backs to Cassian. He could shoot them, but it would draw too much attention in the center area. If any troopers heard the shots, he’d have all troopers from the other four areas coming down on him.

            Keeping his blaster up just in case, Cassian stepped out of the den, walking sideways against the wall without ever taking his eyes off the bar, or his attention away from the entrances to the other areas. Heart beating wildly, he managed to reach the stage area when he caught the eyes of the bartender.

            For several heartbeats, he thought the bartender might point him out to the troopers. They stared at one another, but then something changed on the man’s face from resignation to determination. His eyes moved to look beyond Cassian. Quickly, he glanced back to find what he was looking at, almost certain he’d find another Imperial behind him. There wasn’t; just the empty stage, and the door leading somewhere beyond that. Cassian turned back and nodded, having received the message; Jyn had been taken through it, just as Cassian had guessed.

            The bartender started struggling against the troopers forcefully, causing them to focus their full attention on him. Cassian took the chance, and jumped up on the stage. If anyone saw him, he’d be an easy target up here.

            Distantly, he thought he heard the bartender yelp in pain.

            Cassian dashed towards the door on the stage, and he sighed in relief when it opened automatically without a required key or code. Behind it was a simple dressing room, but it was clear the troopers had already been through in just the few minutes since it had started. A rack of clothes had been pulled down, and a lighted mirror had been smashed, the shards littering the floor. The room was small, but long, almost as if it had originally been a hallway and had been repurposed. At the end of it was another door. Cassian hurried forward, never lowering his gun. Before he even reached it, he could hear a struggle beyond it.

            Feeling a greater sense of urgency, but still not wanting to run headlong into a possible suicide mission, he hesitated at the door, pressing are ear to it.

            _“Get off me!_ _”_ came a woman’s voice, and though it was significantly muffled beyond the steal door, Cassian knew it was Jyn’s. “ _Just look at my identification!_ _”_

            There was a reply, but Cassian couldn’t quite make it out; a Stormtrooper certainly, but the helmets already muffled their voices enough when you stood right next to them. Cassian hesitated; he didn’t know how many troopers were out there, or if Jyn was in life threatening trouble or simply a misunderstanding. Cassian could make matters worse for both of them by barging it.

            And yet…

            If it was life threatening, Cassian couldn’t just let it happen. Personal feelings aside, it was still his mission to get information out of her. He could hardly do it if she was dead. No, whatever the consequences, it was his duty to the Rebellion to make sure she was safe.

            That was what he’d tell them, anyway.

            Counting to five, Cassian hit the controls to the door, which slid upward with a hiss. Blaster held out, he walked forward into the back alley with his sights trained on a single trooper.

            Jyn was on her knees, hands on her head and looking a bit disheveled, but otherwise unharmed. The Stormtrooper, on the other hand, looked like his helmet had almost been bashed in. A part of the eyepiece was missing, and Cassian could see the hint of an eyebrow beyond it. What looked like a truncheon law on the ground at his feet as he towered over Jyn, blaster pointed directly at her head.

            Rage filled Cassian at the sight of it. “Drop your weapon,” Cassian hissed darkly at the trooper, his own blaster level with the Stormtrooper’s chest.

            “Jax!” Jyn said in surprise, and then changed to alarm when she continued. “What in blazes are you doing? Put that blaster down!”

            “Put it down!” The trooper repeated, head turned to Cassian by blaster still aimed at Jyn.

            Cassian didn’t move. “Jyn is a member of the Imperial Army,” Cassian said coolly. “Put your blaster down.”

            “He was just about to check,” Jyn explained hurriedly, glancing between Cassian and the trooper frantically.

            “Were you?” Cassian asked, very doubtful. The trooper could have asked for it inside, presumably before he dragged her through the dressing rooms and she bashed his face in with a truncheon. A quick glance around the alley confirmed that the only camera, which was mounted on the building next to them and was aimed at the backstage door, had been shot out.

            “ _Drop your weapon_ ,” the trooper repeated, not answering Cassian’s question. In the end, he didn’t need to. Having witnessed enough of the Empire’s brutality tonight, he guessed that these troopers had been ordered to make an example out of the club for not paying their dues. They had gone too far for a simple raid.

            “No,” Cassian replied, finger pulsing on the trigger despite the pleading looks Jyn was shooting him. It was all it took for the Stromtrooper to swing his blaster toward Cassian instead.

            Jyn shouted, “No!”, but it was too late. Cassian fired only once. The trooper fell, a stray shot from his blaster hitting the door behind Cassian. Taking a step closer, he watched to see if there was any movement from his enemy before holstering his blaster. He turned to Jyn.

“We need to get out of here.”

 

            **_Four weeks earlier_** ** _…_**

Cassian was late again. It was becoming a regular occurrence, which K2-SO supposed was a good thing. Still, it would have been nice if Cassian had bothered to tell him when he intended to return. He understood that it mostly depended on how things went with Galen Erso’s daughter, but it would help in the event of trouble. As it stood, Kay had no idea if or when he should insert himself as backup.

            It wasn’t Kaytoo’s job to understand human behavior; he wasn’t a protocol droid, thank the maker. He did not understand how living beings could enter an establishment to play games of chance (and act as if it were skill), and drink foreign substances that inhibited their already feeble abilities in logic and reasoning. Even Cassian, whom Kay had discovered to be one of the smarter of his kind, seemed to enjoy a drink every now and then.

            It had been hours. The droid monitored the location of Cassian’s comlink closely, but it had not moved from the general location of the pazaak den. Surely humans and their small attention spans could not stand to be in one place for so long? Even though Kay decided that the likelihood of Cassian accidentally dropping his device was low, he didn’t rule out the possibility. If the blinking dot of Cassian’s comlink did not move in another standard hour, Kay would go looking for him.

            It wouldn’t be the first time he had left the small apartment since coming to Coruscant, not that he had told Cassian this. It was in defiance of a direct order, but Kay’s circuits didn’t respond well to direct orders. He didn’t take unnecessary risks, but there were certain measures that had to be taken. While Cassian had assured Kay that he had done a sweep of the area, Kay needed to be sure they had a clear escape route with plenty of alternatives if things didn’t go according to plan. No one had paid him any mind. He might have had trouble on the lower levels, but not on the surface. Not on the edge of Imperial City.

            The cameras had been Kay’s idea, too. Cassian had set them up around the building, ensuring that if the Imperials did come for them, they would at least know it. It was how Kaytoo spent most of his time while Cassian was away, and he had come to recognize every resident of the building, every regular guest. One of the residents was a spice dealer, and her zabrak boyfriend would often sit around playing bodyguard while she sold her wares to all sorts of beings down by the speeder bay. Kay could have reported them, but it wasn’t relevant to the mission and would draw unneeded attention to the area.

            Sometime before midnight, minutes before Kay was about to set out on his manhunt, Cassian’s signal moved. Kay watched it with detached scrutiny, making sure it didn’t go anywhere it shouldn’t. He watched it pause halfway to the shuttle station, then continue again at a higher speed once he had boarded a shuttle.

            It went in the wrong direction. A quick readout of the map revealed several possible destinations, most of them official Imperial Military buildings of some sort. K2 could attempt to rescue the captain from any sort of imprisonment, but the chances weren’t good for either of them. If Kay were a living being, he’d be watching the blinking dot with baited breath. As he was a droid, his visual receptors focused on the dot in the utter stillness of the apartment.

            It blinked past the Imperial City Data Center. That ruled out him returning to work. The dot moved closer to the holding facilities. In the event of capture, Cassian had instructed Kay to leave Coruscant and return to Base One. However, with the faulty programming Kaytoo was currently equipped with, Kay was unlikely to execute that scenario. Cassian was more than a master; he was a friend.

            Cassian passed the holding facilities, but seemed to move straight on course for the military base. It was possible they were taking him directly to some sort of general for questioning. Kay began to plot his way to Cassian. He might not be able to avoid recapture himself, but he could always find a way to self-destruct. A blaster shot straight to his memory core should do the trick. The chance of success was three point eighteen percent.

            A curious thing happened, though, as Kay watched the tracking device wink in and out on the map. It turned just before it reached the military base, and instead headed toward the residential sector. All of Kay’s planning effectively went out the window. For a few moments the circuits in his head developed a hundred scenarios before coming to a conclusion. Cassian, or rather Jax Paven, had decided to go home with Jyn Erso.

            Human coupling was far out of Kay’s area of expertise, but it was to his understanding that Cassian had gathered much information in the past this way. Cassian was far from loose with the specifics of his missions, but K2 had been witness to a few occasions of contact. As much as he’d wanted to erase them from his memory core, he stored away the information under the assumption that he might better understand living beings.

            He still did not understand them, but through his observations he gathered that for whatever reason, such physical affection seemed to loosen the lips of many humanoids. A flaw in their biological programming. Cassian had evidently found it prudent to attempt this with the Erso girl as well, and Kay could only hope it produced results so they could leave Coruscant as soon as possible.

            The dot stopped and Kay noted it as Jyn’s place of residence, which would surely come in useful later. It was likely the only valuable thing that Kay would find out until morning, since humans seemed to spend the entire night on their rituals. It wasn’t something Kaytoo was about to wait up for, so he prepared himself for sleep mode. Just as he plugged himself in to recharge, the dot moved. Inexplicably, it was returning to the transit station. That was short, even for Cassian, who prided himself on efficiency. Probably bad news, then.

            Deciding not to shut down until Cassian had returned, Kay waited as he watched the dot’s slow progress.

            “Usually returning from a target’s living quarters would yield information, but seeing as you spent so little time there I assume that it was not a successful endeavor?” Kay questioned as soon as Cassian entered.

            He looked exhausted, the bags under his eyes darker than usual. Not a good time for questioning, then. “You were watching me?” Cassian asked, taking a step forward and looking every bit irritated.

            “You were late,” Kay replied, “I had to be sure that you weren’t captured.”

            Cassian began to strip his outer gear. “I didn’t ask you to do that.”

            “I am here to ensue your mission; it is implied that I am also here to ensure that you survive it. If I weren’t tracking you, how would I know when the mission is in danger?”

            Sighing, Cassian said nothing as he laid down on the bed.

            “You did put it there for a reason,” Kay reminded, referring to the tracking device.

            “Not tonight, Kay.” Cassian closed his eyes, then slung an arm over them.

            Judging from the way his breathing slowed, Kay determined that his friend had immediately fallen asleep. Turning off the lights, Kay decided not to power down. On the slight chance that someone had followed the captain home after a long evening of who knows what, someone should keep watch. Kay could recharge later, but humans were not so lucky.

            Kaytoo watched the cameras, but the only living beings that stayed for any period of time were the spice dealers in the back. After an hour and no customers, though, they two vacated the premises. With arms slung around each other in what must have been an awkward way to walk, Kay watched them enter the building and slip out of his view.

            The rest of the night was uneventful, which was unusual for Coruscant. Cassian slept the whole night, which was also a first. The nightmares often kept the man awake, but he never spoke of them to Kay, and Kay never asked. Instead, they would find some task to work on and eventually the empty look in his friend’s eyes would return to normal.

            This morning Cassian awoke to his alarm for the first time since arriving on Coruscant. The noise blared alarmingly loud in the small apartment, but Kay’s sensors adjusted accordingly, lowering the noise to a bearable level. Cassian was human and therefore not so lucky. In less than two seconds, Cassian was awake, blaster in hand and ready for whatever disturbance awaited him. He looked about wildly, before his bleary eyes cleared and settled on the datapad sitting on the counter next to Kaytoo.

            He looked up at Kay, the noise still blaring. Someone in the room next door began banging on the wall. Carefully, Kay reached over and switched the datapad off. Belatedly Cassian seemed to realize his blaster was leveled at Kaytoo’s chest and set it down on the blankets. He rubbed his eyes.

            “What time is it?”

            “Time to wake up,” Kay informed him. “That was your alarm.”

            To say that the captain looked surprised was an understatement. He flung the blankets off of himself and began scouring the floor for his uniform.

            “Was progress made with Jyn Erso last night, or have we wasted yet another day?” Kay asked when Cassian didn’t immediately tell him what had happened the night before. He had waited all night.

            Distracted, Cassian tore off his shirt and searched for a fresh one. “Progress, yes.”

            Kaytoo waited for the ‘but’.

            “But no new information, not since the market.”

            Well, that was a disappointment, but it went along with the trend they’d been setting on the mission. Always settling for less. The little information they had gleaned was interesting, though. A connection between the Erso’s and the kyber crystals. That was likely valuable information to report, once they were sure of it.

            “Perhaps you should once again attempt to copulate.”

            Halfway into his mechanic’s inform, Cassian paused and looked up sharply. “What do you mean?”

            “Based on previous instances, our success in a given mission happens twenty-three percent faster when copulation is involved.” That was only based on the instances that Kay knew about. Cassian didn’t usually like getting into particulars. The percentage could be higher or lower depending on a few factors.

            Slowly, Cassian resumed getting dressed, his expression quite literally unreadable to Kay’s sensors. “I don’t want to know how you got that information,” Cassian began, “but what did you mean I should ‘once again’ try?”

            “I assumed that was the reason for you following the target to her apartment, but the endeavor failed.” He had analyzed the situation off of previous accounts, but if Cassian was breaking the pattern then he could be wrong. Judging by the frown that had quickly formed on the captain’s face, Kay likely had been incorrect.

            Kay watched as Cassian began to process what Kay had said. Another failure of humans; their brain processed things far too slowly. The man paced for a few moments before proclaiming, “Kriff.”

            That was a curse word, and seemed to hold no purpose other than to convey frustration or distress. The droid saw little use in it.

            “Dare I ask what is wrong?”

            Briefly, Cassian put a hand to his face. “I wasn’t trying to do that, but she probably thinks I was.”

            It took only a second for Kay to catch the meaning. “Why?”

            Sighing, Cassian retrieved his work bag. “Hopefully I’m wrong.”

            “Wrong about Jyn Erso thinking you want to copulate with her?”

            His face briefly twisted into a human expression of discomfort. “Yes.”

            “And why don’t you want to sleep with her?”

            Cassian stared, saying nothing.

            “You would gain access to her apartment, and possibly discover something about Galen Erso.”

            Shaking his head, Cassian started for the door. “I can’t push her too much, Kay. She isn’t interested like that, and I don’t want to scare her off.”

            Kay would have liked to suggest kidnapping her again, but knew the risks associated would make it difficult in the long run. How much longer could they wait? The chances of discovery increased every day.

            Kay prepared for power down as Cassian left the apartment for work. Right before his system went into sleep mode, he saw the datapad with the almost completed program had been left on Cassian’s bed.

 

            ***

            Jyn was embarrassed. From the moment she woke up, it had her groaning in mortification. Mercifully she was not hung over, but unfortunately she remembered every detail of the night before. She would take the hangover if it meant she could forget it all. She had acted like a fool, and Jax had been there to witness it. From the flirting with the card cheat, to the drunken walk home. She wasn’t sure how close of friends he was with Adan, but she hoped beyond hope that they wouldn’t end up laughing at her over it.

            Oh, Force, she’d grabbed his hand and clung to him like some desperate schutta! It was unlike her, or so she liked to believe. What must he think of her now? She’d have to apologize, and that idea alone made her want to fake sickness for the first time ever. Just for one day, then she could get the blush to leave her cheeks and act just as nonchalant as Jax did. Jyn wouldn’t, of course; she hadn’t missed a day since she started, and she rather liked being able to say that. No one would ever question her commitment.

            She stood at her place in the data center, passing time the usual way by counting tiles, lights, and replaying every achingly embarrassing moment from the night before. There were so many, it was difficult to focus on just one for any given period of time. Jyn couldn’t decide which moment was the most horrifying in hindsight.

            When she had confessed that she would be okay with being conned at a game as long as she got a good time out of it? Stars and galaxies, the look on his face! That was definitely one of those things that was okay to think about, but you never said out loud. Even then, she ultimately decided that wasn’t the worst moment of the night. She had gone up to him, invaded his personal space, and then hovered there while commenting on whether or not he had _thoughts_. She hadn’t even been drunk at that point, which was why she ranked it as number one.

            By the time the lunch hour arrived, Jyn had worked herself up enough that she felt she could apologize and move on with minimal blushing if Jax was gracious. He _would_ be gracious, wouldn’t he? He wasn’t like Adan, unless she had entirely misjudged his character. Regardless, she just had to get it over with.

            Jyn arrived in the cafeteria, and immediately hopped into the line as usual, but kept an eye out for Jax. He was usually a bit behind her, given the distance he travelled to get there, but so far they had found each other at the same table every day. In the line, she added whatever special they had for the day and carried on to the seating area.

            Jax was there with his food untouched in front of him, apparently waiting for her. When he spotted her, he smiled. Or rather it was a Jax smile, which Jyn defined as a faint pleasant change in expression. Relief spread through her immediately; he wasn’t mad, then.

            Feeling more at ease but still cautious, Jyn sat down across from him like she had the past few days.

            “You look better than I thought you would after last night,” Jax said, his features subtly giving away his amusement.

            “I’m going to pretend you meant that as a compliment,” she replied easily, though she felt heat rising up to her cheeks. “You look no worse for wear, either. You must have gotten home rather late.”

            Jax shrugged. “I’m used to getting little sleep.”

            “Why’s that?”

            Something in his expression changed, from the hint of amusement to… alarm? It was so hard to tell with him. Why would that question alarm him?

            “Freelance mechanics don’t usually choose their hours,” he explained after a beat. “The routine of working here is still new.”

            “Having a hard time adjusting to the boring life of a respectable man with a steady job?” Jyn teased, trying to bury the niggling feeling that he’d just lied to her.

            “Maybe,” he said absently, picking absently at his lunch. “The company is making it easier, I think.”

            Jyn blinked, a little surprised at how sincere the words had felt. “Well, good.”

            Jax straightened in his seat, and Jyn had had the distinct impression that he was about to say something she wouldn’t like. “Jyn, about last night…”

            In that moment, she decided that she wasn’t ready to address her behavior. Too embarrassed, and too unsure of what her actions had meant to her, Jyn quickly attempted to steer the conversation in a different direction. “I think I’m ready to move on to Sabaac.”

            Jax seemed taken aback by her abrupt declaration, but adjusted gears easily. “You think so? I don’t think you won a single hand of Pazaak last night.”

            “I did,” she protested. “And I still stand by my words; the game is luck, no skill.”

            “Only players that lose say that.”

            “Are you going to teach me, or not?” Jyn said, ignoring the jibe. “Pazaak was boring.”

            “You didn’t seem bored last night.” The amusement returned to his eyes. It wasn’t malicious, or at least Jyn didn’t think it was. Still, no one liked their most embarrassing moments rubbed in their noses.

            “One day I’m going to catch you doing something you’d rather not relive, and then we’ll see how you like it when I keep bringing it up,” Jyn said pointedly. She’d meant to say it lightly, but her mouth seemed to have a mind of its own.

            “All right, I understand,” Jax replied, the amusement leaving him. The way he said it sounded so serious that Jyn instantly regretted her tone. Stars and galaxies, when had she become so dreadful with social interaction?

            “So you’ll teach me now then?”

            Jax shrugged his shoulders once. “I’ll bring the cards tomorrow.”

 

***

 

            Jyn’s eyes were locked on his intensely, but Cassian only gazed back impassively. It took a surprising amount of effort not to laugh at her attempts to “catch his bluff”, but he had years of practice under his belt. She leaned in closer and he tilted his head toward her, encouraging her to make a move.

            Finally, she said, “I’ll raise you two.”

            He wanted to reach out and stop her from adding to the pile, but something told him she wouldn’t take kindly to that. Instead, he said, “You’re betting too high.”

            She didn’t like that much either. “We’re betting _crackers_ , Jax. I think I can afford to bet a little high considering they give them out for free.”

            Cassian watched as she picked up two packaged crackers from her shrinking pile and added them to the pot. He looked at her pile pointedly and then back up. “If you bet like that now, you’ll bet like that later. You have to think strategically.”

            “Well, strategically speaking I want the pile as big as possible so that when I win, I win big.”

            He sighed, leaning forward with his elbows on the table. “It’s a tell,” he warned. “Every time you think you’re going to win you raise by two.”

            Jyn leaned back, putting her cards down. “How can I possibly have a tell? I haven’t even played a real game yet!”

            “Trust me, it’s better I stop you from doing it early on.”

            “Well, maybe I’m bluffing? I could be trying to outsmart you.”

            He smiled wryly before replying. “You’re not bluffing.”

            “Because after two weeks of knowing me, you’re some sort of expert on whether or not I’m lying?”

            He shrugged. “No expert, you’re just very expressive even when you don’t mean to be.”

            Leaning forward with an elbow on the table, Jyn placed her chin on her knuckles. “Oh, please go on,” she said. “I love being analyzed by strangers.”

            “Strangers?” He exaggerated his offense, but a part of him still worried. Jyn’s shell was a hard one to crack. “C’mon, I thought we were passed that.”

            She rolled her eyes. “Don’t make me admit to enjoying your company, all right? I’m an imperial officer, and I have a certain reputation to uphold. I can’t be seen as being comfortable with the riff raff.”

            “ _Riff raff?_ ” Cassian sputtered.

            She waved her hand, dismissing his offense even as she tried to hold back her smile. “Stop stalling. Are you going to call my bet or are you going to fold?”

            Shaking his head, he added two crackers from his own pile. “It’s your eyes,” he informed her. “You can’t keep the excitement out of them.”

            “Impossible,” she quipped. “My expression hasn’t changed in the last twenty minutes. It should be like looking in a mirror for you.”

            He raised an eyebrow, looking over her face to examine her claims. “You think you’re about to win; your eyes are sparkling.”

            Jyn flashed him a smile as she laid down her cards, face up. “Right. Next time I’ll work on looking dead inside, but this time I have Pure Sabacc.”

            It was as he had suspected; Jyn had a perfect twenty-three, the winning hand in most games of sabacc. Most, but not all. As she reached for the pile of crackers, he said, “Not so fast.”

            His own cards consisted of a two, a three, and the idiot card. It was the rarest combination in a game of sabacc, and the only one to trump Pure Sabacc. “Idiot’s Array,” he said, not entirely apologetic.

            “The _what_?”

            “In short,” he explained, “I win.”

            Jyn removed her hands from the pile and slumped back in her chair. “Why are there so many rules in this game? Let’s just go back to playing pazaak.”

            “It’s only your first time,” he assured, “It’ll get better.”

            “Why do men always say that?”

            Cassian nearly choked, but hid it with a cough. “I didn’t think you’d give up so easily, Jyn.”

            “Well, there is a first time for everything.”

            “I’m disappointed,” he lamented. “Jyn Erso, defeated by a card game.”

            “Sometimes giving up is the smart thing to do when you know you’re outmatched,” she replied as her eyes moved to look over his shoulder. “Lunch hour is up.”

            Cassian stood, gathering their plates while Jyn gathered up the crackers to return to their place in the lunch line. “So, you think you’ve met your match in me?” he teased, unable to resist the bait.

            Jyn snorted probably louder than she meant to. “Really, you flatter yourself. I was talking about the game.”

            He smirked. “I haven’t even taught you the Sabacc shift yet.”

            “Oh joy, more rules. Who invented this game? It’s far too complicated.”

            They parted briefly as Jyn returned to the line and Cassian dropped of the dishes at the washing station, but met again at the entrance to the dining hall. For the most part, they walked in silence back to the turbolifts, but Cassian felt the growing pressure to accelerate things between them. Jyn had not initiated any more contact outside of work, and it was hard to tell if she simply hadn’t had the time or if she was specifically avoiding it. It had only been three days since their outing at the pazaak den, but Cassian knew he couldn’t stand to keep waiting.

            “So,” he began, acting a little hesitant.

            She looked up at him. ”So?” she prompted him, matching the leisurely pace he had set.

            “So I was thinking,” he adopted a casual but hopeful tone. “Maybe you’re not ready for a full on night of sabacc, but I think it would be fun to go out again to play more pazaak?”

            Instantly, her body language changed from open to closed. “Oh,” she said and for a moment looked as if she wanted to say more, but didn’t.

            “Oh? Oh as in…?”

            For a few moments Jyn opened her mouth as if to say something, then closed it only a second later. Finally, she decided to say, “Oh as in, maybe I want to avoid repeating the events of the other night.”

            He stopped walking, and faced her fully. “Did I do something?”

            “You didn’t do anything,” she assured him, “I just acted like an idiot. I’m… I’m just a little embarrassed is all.”

            “Ah,” he said, understanding. He wasn’t about to ask what precisely she was embarrassed about, though he could count a number of instances throughout the night that she might be thinking of.

            “Yes, ‘ah’.” She looked away.

            “Listen, Jyn. If you just don’t want to continue this…”

            “It isn’t that… I’m just tired, really.”

            Cassian nodded, but he couldn’t help but feel the distance.

 

***

 

            When Jyn returned home the next night, she entered the apartment to find an incoming comm. She raced to the station in the living area, only just remembering to close the door behind her. Dropping her bag to the floor, she switched on the hologram, revealing the image of her father. Smiling, she released the breath she felt she had been holding since her last communication with him.

            “Stardust,” he said fondly, and for a brief moment it felt as if he was look directly at her, but his eyes refocused to the recorder on his end.

            “Father, I was beginning to worry. I haven’t heard from you in weeks!” The relief she felt was palpable.

            “I know; I must apologize for the lack of communication. We are very close to the end of this project, Jyn. I don’t have much time between all of my research and the meetings with the other scientists, but please know that I think of you in every spare moment.”

            The sentiment eased her heart some, but only just. It was a line she was used to hearing by now. “If you’re that close, surely Director Krennic can spare you for a little while. Before you said that it wouldn’t be for nearly a year, but-“

            “That hasn’t changed, I’m afraid.” He interjected, putting an end to her hopes quickly. “Unfortunately, even with all the progress we have been making, we are still behind schedule.”

            Jyn let that sink in for a moment, and accepted it. It wasn’t much of a hope to begin with. Some things she couldn’t change, and she had to accept them. Instead, she focused her attention on something she might. “You look like you’ve lost weight. Are you eating?”

            A ghost of a smile washed over her father’s face. “When I can; when I remember. You know how I get. I’m very single minded sometimes.”

            She swallowed heavily. “They should get you an assistant or something. Someone needs to be around to remind you that you’re still human.”

            He waved his hand, attempting to brush off her concern. “I’ll be fine. The Empire would never let anything happen to me, you needn’t worry.”

            “Still…”

            “I’m more concerned about you, Jyn.”

            She looked up at the hologram sharply. “Why?”

            “I know that you want me home, Jyn. I know that our communication hasn’t been as consistent as both of us might have hoped, but I worry that when I’m away you spend all of your time waiting.”

            Jyn folded her arms in indignation. “Waiting?”

            “For me to return home,” he clarified.

            “So missing you is a problem?”

            “No, of course not. I miss you as well, of course. But Jyn, you are a beautiful young woman and it saddens me to see you spend your days alone.”

            Jyn counted to three, working her jaw as she contemplated his words. “Has Adan contacted you?”

            Galen furrowed his brows. “Adan?”

            “My superior,” she ground out. “It’s funny, because he was saying nearly the same thing to me just recently. So what has he done, reached out to you? Or are you the one setting him upon me?”

            “I don’t know who you’re talking about,” he said in what appeared to be honest sincerity, but she couldn’t accept it. “I simply don’t want you to waste your life while you wait for me. The galaxy has a lot to offer.”

            “Well I wouldn’t know, would I?” she snapped. “Not since you blocked every assignment that would take me off world! Of course I’m holed up on Coruscant.”

            Galen bristled, but Jyn couldn’t stop herself now.

            “I’m stuck in the same damn place day after day, year after year while you get to explore the galaxy on secret Imperial assignments. You can’t have it both ways. You can’t tell me to live my life while putting me on a shelf for safe keeping.”

            “Jyn,” he said brokenly. “I didn’t mean to upset you. I only want for your happiness.”

            “I _wanted_ to leave Coruscant. That would have made me happy! I know you’re scared for me because you don’t want to lose me the same way we lost mum, but at least she saw the galaxy before she died.”

            “You know that isn’t the same, what happened to your mother was-“

            “I know. I know what happened to her, and all I wanted was to go and help get rid of the people who did it. I can’t exactly do that from an archive station.”

            She was doing little more than whining, now. Complaining to her father as though she was still a teenager testing her boundaries. It wasn’t fair, though. He hadn’t ever admitted to blocking her requests for reassignment, but the expression on his face was admission enough now. The confirmation sent a wave of nausea to her stomach. It had only been suspicion before, but knowing the truth now made her feel worse than before.

            “Right now the Galaxy is a dangerous place,” he tried to explain, in his usual diplomatic way. “I only thought Coruscant would be safer.”

            The lie stung bitterly, and Jyn bit her lip hard not to call him out on it. “Mum was on Coruscant, and look what happened to her.”

            Pain flickered across her father’s face briefly, then yielded to resignation. “If you truly want to leave Coruscant, Jyn, then I will ask Krennic to put in word for you. “

            Jyn blinked in surprise, lips parting as her arms seemed to unfold of their own accord. “You would do that?”

            He nodded. “Just give me the word, Stardust. There’s no guarantee, but I will try.”

            Jyn thought for a moment, suddenly unsure. She’d wanted to leave Coruscant for so long, but had resigned herself to staying, even convinced herself that staying was her own choice. Faced with the option of leaving though, would she take it? The Data Center wasn’t exactly exciting, but the truth of the matter was that she could be placed on an equally unappealing backwater world near the outer rim. Coruscant offered her no future, and yet…

            For the first time in years, Jyn had found herself looking forward to the days ahead of her. Work was still long and boring, but the past few weeks had been pleasant enough. Despite making a fool out of herself, the thought of giving up what she’d recently gained made her heart hurt. It wasn’t exactly Jax himself, but perhaps what his company offered her. Easy conversation, and a way to appreciate the planet she’d taken for granted for so long.

            He would leave eventually, he’d told her that, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t enjoy herself for now. Maybe when he finally left, she’d ask her father again with no regrets.

            “No,” she replied slowly. “I want to leave, I do… just not right now.”

            He regarded her, or rather the _image_ of her that he was facing. Jyn could tell he didn’t know what to think of her response, not after she’d just confronted him about wanting to leave. He didn’t need to understand it, though, he just needed to listen. “Consider it a standing offer, then.”

            “I will, Papa.”

            His eyes softened at the term of endearment. “I have to go now, Stardust, but I’ll try to speak with you again soon.”

            Jyn nodded. “I love you, Papa. I’m sorry that I-“

            “It’s all right, Jyn,” he consoled her. “I love you.”

            The image distorted with static, then vanished entirely.

 

            ***

            Jyn was very impatient the next day. It seemed as though time slowed to an unbearable pace, and not even her usual ways of passing time seemed to help. The reason for her anxiousness was obvious; tomorrow was her day off, which meant tonight she could do whatever she wanted. While Jax hadn’t mentioned anything, Jyn found herself hoping that he was available. The few times they’d gone out were enjoyable, and she didn’t feel like spending another night alone re-watching a documentary on rocks with a bottle of Coruscant’s cheapest wine.

            When the lunch hour finally came, Jyn hurried off to the cafeteria with an unusual eagerness. Other officers parted when they saw her coming to let her pass, apparently assuming the purpose she walked with was important. It wasn’t, but they didn’t need to know that she just wanted to get to lunch.

            Her irritation spiked when it seemed like the line was longer than usual, and it only got worse when they ran out of a tray of rolls when she finally did make it to the food. Opting out of her favorite side item, Jyn headed directly to her usual table to wait for Jax.

            Jyn watched her food get progressively colder as the minutes passed with no sign of him. He always waited for her before he started his meal, and she had adopted the polite gesture in return. She wasn’t particularly hungry, but cold food wasn’t appealing.

            Ten minutes passed, and still no sign of him. Jyn sat up a little, trying to see if he’d been late to the lunch line, but couldn’t spot him in the crowd. Sighing, she resigned herself to eating alone. He’d probably been held up in a project of some kind. Jyn wasn’t very familiar with the particulars of his job; he’d never told her, and she’d never asked. It occurred to her that she should.

            Taking a bite of her lunch, Jyn grimaced at the flavor. Perhaps it might have been better warm, but now she’d never know. She didn’t even have a roll. Sighing, Jyn looked up from her meal and then paused when something caught her eye.

            Three tables down and two over, was a man with hair that look remarkably like Jax’s. In all her time at the Imperial City Data Center, she’d only known one person that had managed to get away with hair that long, and it seemed unlikely that it was anyone else. Why had he sat all the way over there?

            Glancing about for any signs of Jax in the lunch line just to be sure she wasn’t mistaken, Jyn picked up her lunch tray and made her way over.

            “Did you get sick of the view from over there?” she asked when she reached him, standing with her lunch tray in front of the seat across from him.

            He looked up and seemed surprised by her intrusion. “What?”

            “I know you said you move around a lot, but this is just ridiculous,” she quipped. Still, she didn’t sit. Unsure why he had moved, she wasn’t about to intrude on his solitary lunch uninvited.

            For once Jax seemed truly at a loss for words. Jyn shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Finally, he said, “I thought I might be disturbing you, after we spoke the other day.”

            Jyn furrowed her brow. Had she really implied that she didn’t want his company? “Well, you weren’t.”

            They stared at one another for a moment before Jax said, “Okay.”

            That seemed to be an invitation enough for Jyn, so she set her tray down and sat. Jyn settled in, pushing her food around with her fork, very aware that Jax was watching her intently.

            “You don’t have work tomorrow, do you?” she asked, meeting his eyes.

            “No,” Jax confirmed. It looked as though he had barely touched his food. He had a roll on his plate, safely away from the slop they’d given them for lunch today.

            “We should do something tonight,” she suggested casually, heart beating a little faster than usual. “If you don’t already have plans?”

            “I don’t,” Jax replied slowly. “I thought you said you didn’t want to go out?”

            Jyn raised a single eyebrow. “I’m not allowed to change my mind?”

            “Of course,” Jax replied. “I’m just a little confused.”

            He was acting cautiously, more so than usual. Jyn really hadn’t thought much of brushing him off before, but apparently it meant more to him than it had to her. “I really was just tired,” she assured him. “Believe it or not, I wasn’t lying when I said I didn’t get out much before you arrived.”

            “I just wanted to be sure. I thought that I might have offended you the other night.” He stared intently at her, his face passive but his eyes searching. She thought she might be understanding his tells better, and not just at Sabaac.

            “Why would you have offended me?” she asked, genuinely bewildered. “I’m the one that made an idiot of myself in front of you.”

            Jax hesitated, shifting in his seat with an uncharacteristic display of unease. “I thought that-,“ he began, but stopped himself. Was he blushing?

            “What?”

            Sitting up straighter, he leaned in over the table to speak so no one could hear. “My roommate pointed out to me that following you home the other night might have looked… forward.”

            Jyn listened in confusion for a moment, not understanding initially. When she finally caught the meaning behind his words, she couldn’t help the disbelieving laugh that escaped her. “They said _what_? That I would be offended because I thought you followed me home for sex?”

            Jax winced, and then she was certain that he was blushing. “It wasn’t my intention,” he insisted. “You were drunk; I wasn’t trying to take advantage of you, I just wanted to make sure you made it home safe. It wasn’t until the morning that I realized what it might look like.”

            Jyn was holding back the laughter now, not wanting to attract the attention of the others in the cafeteria. It was difficult. “I never thought you were, Jax,” she assured him through suppressed laughter.

            “Really?” he asked doubtfully.

            Jyn nodded. How ironic it was that she’d been concerned that she’d flirted with him that night, too scared to apologize for her behavior and the whole time Jax thought that he’d accidentally pressured her for sex. If that was what he thought coming onto her looked like, she wondered how he’d had any success in that department whatsoever.

            “Jax,” she said, sobering. “I wasn’t offended at all. In fact, I wanted to apologize.”

            It was perhaps the most expressive that Jyn had ever seen him, which was why she thought his intention was genuine. He always seemed guarded, but at the moment he’d let that slip in his fervor to make her understand. “Apologize?”

            “For getting drunk,” she explained, the embarrassment still fresh. “And then everything I did after that.”

            “Oh,” Jax said. “I see.”

            “Yes.” Jyn grimaced. “Next time I promise that I’ll handle myself better.”

            “Next time?”

            “Tonight, maybe?”

            “I’m not sure you’re ready for sabaac yet,” he said, hedging. “Not unless your heart is set on losing a lot of credits.”

            He was most likely right, Jyn had to agree. So far they hadn’t made it through a game where Jax didn’t have to explain the rules to her a few times. After all the credits she’d lost playing Pazaak, she wasn’t eager to repeat the experience, alcohol or no.

            “We don’t have to play sabaac,” she replied. “We could go to a club or something.”

            “Dancing?” Jax replied, trying to keep his expression neutral but she could see the lack of enthusiasm behind it.

            “Or I could just watch you play,” Jyn suggested instead. “Then I could get a feel for what the game is actually like?”

            Jax considered this for a moment. “That would be boring for you, don’t you think?”

            “I like learning,” Jyn insisted. “It’s either this or a date with my couch watching a documentary on the geological history of Mustafar.”

            “Really?” Jax asked skeptically.

            “Well, no,” Jyn admitted. “It’s actually on Alderaan, but I thought Mustafar would make me sound less pathetic.”

            The corners of Jax’s lips ticked upwards slightly. “Well if it had been Mustafar I would have said you should choose that. Since it’s Alderaan…”

            Jyn smiled back. “Have anywhere in mind?”

            “Maybe,” he replied vaguely. “I’ll meet you out front after work?”

            “It’s a deal.”

            ***

           

            “You really know how to pick places,” Jyn said dryly as they walked along the platform. Wherever the place he had chosen was, it wasn’t going to be nice; not in a neighborhood like this. Trash lined the streets, and the people they passed looked like they belonged in an outer rim spaceport rather than Coruscant. She tried not to make eye contact. “You do know there are card dens in the city, right?”

            By the city, she obviously meant Imperial City. It was cleaner there.

            “People are too scared to cheat in Imperial City,” Jax replied, as if that was a good reason.

            Jyn caught the eye of a woman sitting on the platform, who glared at her as they passed. She walked just a bit closer to Jax, who seemed nonplussed by it. “Isn’t that a good thing?”

            “Not if you really want to learn the game,” Jax countered. “Everywhere else in the galaxy, you’ll have a hard time finding an honest game. Best to learn it this way.”

            “Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t we just get a pazaak player thrown out of a club for cheating?”

            “That’s different. No one cheats at Pazaak.”

            “Of course, how naïve of me to think cheating is bad no matter what game you’re playing.”

            He stopped at an entrance to a club, gesturing for her to go in. Smiling, he assured her, “You’ll see when we start.”

            If Jyn was supposed to catch on quick, then it wasn’t going well. Jax was sitting at a table with three other players; the room was dark and smoky, and Jyn was fairly certain she was catching the distinct smell of illegal spice.

            They’d quickly learned that she wasn’t allowed to sit near the players just in case she was trying to help Jax cheat, and instead she was forced to sit behind him a few paces away. She tried as best she could to pay attention, but the suspicious glares she received quickly made her lose the enthusiasm to focus on the game.

            In other words, she was bored.

            It had been her idea to begin with, she would readily admit that, but it hadn’t been a good idea. There were other activities they could have done; theater was popular, but for some reason she couldn’t imagine just sitting next to Jax for hours without saying a word. Perhaps it was his aloofness that made her think he thought himself above the experience?

            It was hard to tell. From what little she did observe of him playing sabaac was that he had an excellent expression for it. She was no expert, but he handled everything with a nonchalant attitude. He didn’t have any tells that she could see, but he still lost with an almost calculated frequency. Mostly, she couldn’t help but note, to a female Zeltron wearing a tight bodysuit that complimented her bright skin. The woman seemed to notice every time Jyn looked at her, glancing up in time to catch Jyn’s eyes just as she decided to look away.

            Having promised not to embarrass herself and burden Jax, Jyn had only one drink since arriving. As far as Jyn could tell, Jax had barely touched the one he’d ordered and she had to resist the urge to walk over to the table and take it for herself. If she didn’t think the table would lynch her for possibly interfering with the game, she would have.

            When Jyn stood, Jax didn’t seem to notice. His back being to her, she could hardly blame him. The Zeltron watched her leave, however, and it bothered Jyn more than she wanted to admit. She had half a mind to walk back and demand what the woman’s fascination with her was, or if they needed to settle the issue outside.

            The club that Jax had chosen was fairly large despite the less than pristine condition. The main area was centered around the circular bar, low tables and chairs scattered throughout. There were other areas branching off from there, one being the card den and the busiest area being the dancer’s stage.

            It wasn’t busy at the bar, though, so Jyn managed to get the tender’s attention right away. “What’s the weakest drink you have?”

            The bartender looked at her, blinking. “Water,” he replied dryly.

            “Anything besides water?”

            “If you’re looking for juma, then you might want to try the grocer three blocks down,” he told her, gesturing to the exit. “This is a bar. You want a drink, make it something worth my while.”

            “Jawa juice, then,” Jyn said, resigned. She hated it, but it wasn’t exactly strong. There would be no chance for misunderstandings between herself and Jax tonight.

            The man gave her the drink, and she paid him, tipping more than she normally would have. Not wanting to return to the mind-numbing card den yet, Jyn sipped at her drink as she walked around the bar, peering into the rooms she hadn’t yet seen. Sports wasn’t exactly her favorite pass time, but the beat of the music in the dance room had her tapping her feet. It was dark in the room, and crowded, and the smell of spice was even stronger wafting out from it.

            She elected to pass on that, and turned her attention to the dancer’s stage. Unappealing in a different way, but at least it smelled a little better. There was only one woman on the stage, a Twi-Lek with an interesting shade of purple skin. Her lekku had been painted or tattooed; Jyn didn’t know which. Her body movements were fluid and sultry, which seemed to please the crowd.

            Jyn took another sip of her drink.

            “I thought you said you weren’t going to get drunk this time?” Jax’s voice sounded in her right ear. Startled, she nearly spilled her drink. He put a hand on her shoulder to steady her.

            Recovering, she said, “It’s only jawa juice. Did you finally lose?”

            The corner of his lip twitched. “I think you said something before about being smart enough to know when to you’ve met your match.”

            “Did you, then?”

            “I did all right,” he shrugged. “I left when I noticed you were missing.”

            “I’m surprised you noticed at all,” Jyn admitted. “Looked like an intense game.”

            Jax raised an eyebrow. “You’re bored.” It wasn’t a question.

            “Well, it might have been more interesting if I’d actually been able to see anything from where I was sitting. From that distance I think we needed comlinks in order to speak.”

            “Next time you should just join in,” Jax encouraged. “They weren’t that good, anyway.”

            “Says the apparent expert who just admitted to meeting his match?” Jyn scoffed.

            “I may have exaggerated,” Jax admitted, but not to which claim. “Did you want to do something else?”

            Jyn didn’t want to admit how much she wasn’t enjoying herself at the club, but she’d jump at the chance to turn the evening around. “I’m starving. Do you want to go get dinner?”

***

            There was a small restaurant a few buildings down that wasn’t crowded, and both of them recognized at least one item on the menu posted on the door. They sat at a table by the refresher, but it was a tradeoff to having a bit more privacy.

            Once they’d ordered, Jyn surprised Jax by taking out a Pazaak deck. “I thought you said Pazaak was a boring game run purely on chance?”

            “Well, maybe I’ll actually have a chance at winning against you, then,” she replied, shuffling the cards before setting up the match.

            “It isn’t purely chance, you know,” he told her, flipping over one of the cards. “I just drew a five. You have to think about what the likelihood of drawing another five would be.”

            “So you’re winning all the time because you count cards?”

            “Well, that or you really do have terrible luck,” Jax conceded.

            They played a few rounds, with Jax winning at the end of the set. “You’re too impatient,” he told her for what seemed the tenth time.

            Jyn made to shuffle the deck again. “So, I don’t think you said what Nar Shaddaa rules are?”

            Jax didn’t look her in the eye. “I thought I did the other night?”

            “If you did, I was too drunk to remember. You’ll have to tell me again.”

            Jax looked up and stared at her intently for a moment. “I can’t tell if you’re being serious or not.”

            “Really?” Jyn teased. “I thought you said I was too expressive or something.”

            “Your eyes are,” he corrected, and leaned back in his seat. “And now I know you’re not being serious.”

            “C’mon,” she pleaded. “I could just find the answer on the holonet, but I’d rather you tell me now. It must be good if you don’t want to say.”

            Jax leaned forward again, but his arms were still crossed. With a sigh, he said, “Nar Shaddaa rules are… You bet clothes instead of credits. Not something you want to do in a public place.”

            For whatever reason, Jyn wasn’t shocked in the least. Jax seemed so embarrassed about it that she couldn’t resist teasing. “But in a private place?”

            “Oh look,” Jax said, making a show of examining his cards. “I’m at 20 already. I’ll stay.”

            “You’re blushing,” Jyn observed in delight. “That’s just adorable. For a man who’s been everywhere and done everything, you are terribly shy.”

            “And you lost the first round,” Jax continued. “You should pay better attention next time.”

            “I am paying attention,” Jyn assured him, “to your embarrassment at the thought of betting clothes. Do I have to take off a sock now, or do you get to choose?”

            Jax looked up at her. “Jyn. Please.”

            “Oh all right. They’re bringing the food anyway.”

            The waiter brought their food, and Jax quietly thank him before digging in. Jyn watched in him in amusement for a moment before picking at her own meal. Maybe she was too picky, but her protein looked more _grey_ than she thought it should.

            “I’m not shy,” Jax said after a few minutes of easy silence.

            “Oh? I thought we’d stopped talking about that.”

            “If I was shy, I never would have talked to you.”

            “You barely do now.” Jyn took a brave bite of the grey protein, carefully mulling over the texture. The taste was respectable. The consistency was questionable.

            “I talk plenty,” Jax protested.

            “Of course,” Jyn replied dryly. “My mistake.”

            They returned their attention to their meals, or at least Jax did. Jyn instead watched as Jax looked contemplatively at his food. Jyn fought hard against the smile tugging at her lips, but eventually gave in, opting to hide it by looking down intently at her own dish.

 

            ***

            Three days later, they were eating lunch in a comfortable silence. Jyn wasn’t really doing anything in particular, but Jax had brought a datapad with him and had barely taken his eyes off of it since he’d sat down. Every now and then he’d take a bit of something, but then his attention was right back to the datapad.

            He didn’t say what he was doing, and Jyn had initially thought she shouldn’t bother him, but the lunch hour was almost over and the thought of returning to her post just to be bored for hours on end wasn’t appealing.

            “Good read?” she asked, eyeing the datapad.

            He glanced up briefly. “What?”

            “You’re absorbed in your whatever that is,” Jyn nodded, indicating the device. “If you stare at it any more intently, I’m afraid you’ll fall in.”

            He glanced up again, then replied absently. “It’s work. I’m trying to fix a bug in a droid’s programming.”

            “I thought you were a mechanic?”

            “I can’t be a programmer and a mechanic?” he asked, not taking his eyes from the device.

            “I just didn’t know you were. You never said.”

            “You never asked.”

            “I think I did?” Jyn replied, but couldn’t remember if she had or not. Maybe Adan had told her he was a mechanic and she’d had no further interest. “I suppose it’s handy to be both.”

            “Yes,” Jax agreed. “Sometimes a manufacturer will push a product through without proper testing, and you get a droid that thinks it can walk through walls.”

            Jyn raised an eyebrow. “Is that what’s happening here? The Empire isn’t going to be happy about that.”

            “That was just an example.”

            Jyn sighed, giving up in getting his attention. Behind Jax, the chrono on the wall clicked past the seconds, and Jyn dreaded every single one. The first few days after her day off always went by slowly, and it was no exception this time. She and Jax had gone out to lunch on their day off, and they’d mostly just played sabaac until Jyn was tired of losing. She’d returned home and gone to bed early, enjoying the extra hours of sleep.

            “Do you want to go out for dinner tonight?” Jyn asked abruptly.

            Jax looked up, blinking. He didn’t immediately look back to his work, so Jyn took it as a good sign. “Dinner?”

            “Like lunch, but later in the day,” Jyn replied cheekily.

            Jax looked very much like he was resisting rolling his eyes. “Good to know,” he replied somewhat sarcastically. “You’re sure you want to go out again?”

            “I wouldn’t have asked if I wasn’t sure.” Jyn didn’t know why her stomach was in knots over the exchange, but she suddenly felt very defensive that he hadn’t immediately answered. “If you don’t want to go, you don’t have to.”

            “I didn’t say that,” Jax said, his hand reaching over the table to touch her wrist. It was meant to be a reassuring gesture, Jyn knew that on subconscious level. The contact was so casual, and yet Jyn felt like she should jerk her hand away lest she return the gesture. She kept perfectly still instead.

            “We’ll meet out front?” Jyn asked, pointedly ignoring that his hand was still gently placed over hers.

            “Like usual,” Jax said, giving her half a smile.

            Jyn stood then. It was a bit early, but obviously Jax was busy. “I need to get back to work,” she explained. “I’m terribly busy; you couldn’t possibly understand.”

            “I’ll see you later,” he replied, his eyes following hers as she stood. Sometimes it was hard to tell, but Jyn decided he was amused instead of annoyed. She turned to go back to the cafeteria entrance, walking for a few meters before looking back once. To her surprise, he was still watching her go. Her chest filled with an inexplicable warmth.

            ***

            It continued on like that for the rest of the week. Like lunch, it quickly became an unspoken agreement that they would meet outside after work and go somewhere close by for dinner. It extended contact between them for only an hour or so before both departed to get some much needed sleep, but Jyn found herself looking forward to nights now instead of dreading going home to her lonely apartment.

            Despite Jax’s protest, it was true that he didn’t actually seem to talk more than necessary. He answered her questions, and occasionally asked his own, but Jyn thought that might be something she found attractive about him.

            Appealing. Not attractive. She wasn’t attracted to him, not like that.

            Probably.

            She’d met a lot of people in the Academy who seemed to posture and preen, talking themselves up while trying to tear others down. Jax didn’t do this, nor did he seem interested in trying. To an extent, it reminded her of her father. Intelligent, quiet, and a diligent worker. They were similar, but also dissimilar. _If_ Jyn was attracted to him in that way, then she really didn’t want to make comparisons between her father and Jax. That would be awkward.

            The point still stood, however, that his nature didn’t bother Jyn. In fact, she liked that he could carry a conversation, but not a needless one. It was an odd situation, wherein she was the conversationalist between them, but the role reversal wasn’t entirely unpleasant. He actually listened to her when she spoke, which was new. Jyn always had the impression that when Adan spoke with her, he more pretended to pay attention just long enough so that he could once again start speaking.

            When Jax asked her questions, he seemed genuinely interested in her answers. Jyn told him a little bit of her childhood, and in exchange he answered with a bit about his own. She’d ask about his experiences outside of Coruscant, and he’d tell her – albeit vaguely – about some of the outer rim worlds he’d travelled to and worked on. It was fascinating to hear about, given how she’d never done anything, and yet the more he spoke, the more Jyn got the impression that he was holding back.

            Some of his stories didn’t seem to make sense, as if he’d omitted a vital detail here or there. She didn’t call him on it, though. He’d only slipped once, or at least she thought he did. He’d mentioned a woman by name; Shara, Jyn remembered clearly enough. They had been sitting, eating lunch, and Jyn had made a passing comment about the meal, which had reminded Jax of something the woman said. Jyn knew he hadn’t meant to say it by the way he’d half frozen as soon as the name passed through his lips. His eyes had widened ever so slightly, and his story had come to an abrupt end as they returned to their meal.

            Since then Jyn found herself thinking about it; who the woman was, why Jax didn’t want to bring her up. In the days since then, Jyn found herself trying to picture what the woman looked like while she was at her post. Was she pretty? Did she look anything like Jyn? Had this Shara and Jax been close? He’d travelled a lot, by his own admission, so naturally he’d have left people behind. It shouldn’t have concerned Jyn, she knew. Jax would leave her behind too, eventually. He’d been honest enough about that. One day would he try not to mention her name to anyone?

            That line of thought got her nowhere fast, so she tried to end it quickly. It was presumptuous on her part to assume she meant enough to the man for him to mention her at all to anyone. To him, a man of experience, she was likely little more than a young Imperial Officer, destined to sit behind a console all day waiting for a light to break so she could finally get some company.

            “I think you’re ready to try your hand at a real game,” Jax told her as they finished up their daily lunch game. She’d beaten him twice now, which Jyn was fairly certain was more a fluke than actual skill.

            “I don’t know,” Jyn replied, gathering the cards. “I hear there are a lot of cheats in sabaac. I’m not sure I’m ready for that.”

            “You seem ready enough, considering you’re one of them.”

            “Damn,” Jyn replied, not exactly stunned that he’d caught her. “I thought I had you that time.”

            “You weren’t too obvious,” Jax replied, somewhat consolingly. “But the eyes give you away. Well, that and I saw you sit on the card.”

            Jyn sighed, reaching underneath her to get return the unwanted card to the deck. “How do you cheat, then? No one’s that lucky, not even in this game.”

            Jax’s eyes didn’t betray him as he said, “I don’t cheat.”

            Jyn regarded him doubtfully. “Spare me.”

            “That’s the story I’m sticking with,” he said resolutely, taking the cards from her to put back in their box.

            “One day I’ll catch you lying,” Jyn vowed.

            “I’m sure you will,” he replied casually.

            They both stood, gathering their trays. “I thought tonight we could go back to the club,” Jax suggested. A casual invitation, one laid out in a way that Jyn could easily refuse it.

            “I’m not sure I’m in the position to lose, unless they’re betting crackers.”

            “Then don’t lose,” he said, a glint in his eyes that let Jyn know he was teasing. “From what I could tell, there weren’t any big spenders in that club. The players were more bored than interested in winning a lot of credits.”

            They returned their trays and headed back to the lifts as Jyn contemplated the offer. It had been nice just chatting with Jax over dinner the past few days, but a Jyn had been the one to ask Jax to teach her to play sabaac. It would be odd now if she went back on that, lest she give him the wrong impression about why she’d wanted his company to begin with.

            “All right,” Jyn finally replied. “But if I lose all of my credits, you’re buying my dinner next week.”

            Jax gave an actual smile as he chuckled. Jyn was slightly taken aback at seeing it; she’d maybe only seen it once before. His eyes lit up just a little, and her own reaction to it startled her. A smile looked good on him; she wished she could see it more often.

            “It’s a deal,” Jax agreed immediately, and they parted with one last look as she and Jax went their separate ways back to their posts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to anyone that read this after such a long time between updates.


End file.
